


Not to Be Fooled

by Techtonictess



Category: Gravity Falls
Genre: Adult Dipper Pines, Anxiety, Banter, Exposition, Friends to Lovers, God Dipper, Goddess Mabel Pines, Homelessness, How Do I Tag, Human Bill Cipher, M/M, Mild Language, Slow Build, Snark, The OC ships are mostly implied, Why Though, bill's a pottymouth, but none yet, rating for future violence, stupidest thing to change but there you go, there's a goddess mabel and a god cipher tag but no god dipper tag, waddles is a giant boar instead of a pig
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-12-06
Updated: 2018-10-11
Packaged: 2019-02-11 12:23:16
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 12
Words: 29,690
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12935196
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Techtonictess/pseuds/Techtonictess
Summary: Bill Cipher, ex-conman, is on the run from the law when he crosses borders and catches the attention of a local god of minds. Despite being stoutly skeptical and nonreligious, Bill finds himself in the middle of a pivotal holy day among an entire family of gods. Now, being who he is, Bill just has to find a way to take advantage of this whole mess.





	1. Chapter 1

Bill Cipher was not in a good mood.

His clothes were wrecked and dirty, he lost his bag somewhere back at the border between Tayfen and Heli, so with it he lost all his food, his map, his false valuables, his real valuables, and his first aid kit. The few coins he had in his pocket were spent on a small bowl of food and a bread roll that had long since run their course through his body. He had to guess he was midway through Heli, if the frigid air and transition from deciduous to evergreen surrounding his path was anything to go by.

"It's spring," he muttered as he rubbed his arms. "What's wrong with this country?" Bill glared at what grey sky he could see through the sparse canopy. "Try it." He growled. He'd heard of it snowing outside of winter or late fall this far north. "I dare you."

"Who are you talking to?" Bill whipped around to stare at the person who'd so silently snuck up on him. Creepier yet, they were not five feet behind him and walking at his pace.

Bill stopped. They stopped, expression curious and confused. Bill imagined he was making the same face.

"... The sky." Bill admitted uneasily. He fully turned to face the kid in front of him, still gripping his arms. The kid (18? 19? ...25? Baby-faced and ageless, anyway,) smirked with his teeth.

"Really? No one in particular, then?" The pseudo-child crossed his arms, through it was less of a cold gesture and more a confident one.

"I don't know why I would talk to someone who isn't there." Mystery Teen raised an eyebrow.

"You were just talking to yourself, that doesn't count?" Bill, previously caught off guard and struggling to recover his usual charm, found it in him to smile softly.

"How rude, of course it doesn’t. I’m here, aren’t I? Talking to yourself is still talking to someone." The stranger grinned.

"I guess you're right. I'm Dipper." 'Dipper' held out a hand. Bill shook it firmly, trying not to take note that it was pleasantly warm.

"Bill." If he just gave away his first name it'd be fine, right? He didn't have to give out a fake one quite yet, not with a boy he'd never see again. Bill let go and started to walk down the path again. Dipper followed.

"Your fingers are frigid." Dipper remarked. "Why aren't you wearing a jacket?" Bill frowned.

"Not by choice." He replied irritably. Dipper held up a hand with a small smile.

"It wasn't an accusation, I'm just curious. How does a southerner end up on a path to nowhere with nothing but the clothes on his back?" Bill looked down and rubbed his arms some more. Occasionally he'd walk a little closer than he meant to and feel the warmth of Dipper's bare arm seep through his thin sleeve, striking the impulse to get closer to the source of warmth while his rational mind knew he was drifting a little too close to a near complete stranger.

"I lost them." He eventually answered. "Crawling under a fence." Dipper, instead of putting two and two together and realizing Bill wasn't exactly in his position for honest reasons, laughed.

"Unlucky." He remarked amusedly, though it didn't sound mocking.

"Why the hell are you so warm, anyway? You're wearing less than me." Dipper looked down at himself, his sandals, the clean white half-sleeved shirt, and the embroidered black pants, then over at Bill as if comparing it to his ripped white button-up, dirty slacks, and black boots. He hummed pensively and looked away.

"I guess I just seem warm to someone who's been outside all day." Bill narrowed his eyes at Dipper.

"You're a terrible liar." Dipper stared with wide eyes, lips pressed together in some approximation of a poker face.

"That wasn't even something worth lying about!" Dipper leaned back and stuck his hands in his pockets.

"So what if I am? You still don't know the truth." Dipper continued to look Bill in the eye almost challengingly, who smirked.

"I don't know if I even want to know the truth. I mean..." Bill snorted and gestured at the 'kid.' "Is it really worth knowing here? The mystery of the abnormally warm boy." Dipper looked away and cheek rounded as if he had smiled.

"That sounds like a book title. Are you planning on writing one?" He joked. Bill smirked.

"Oh yeah, it'll be a hit. Everyone will be dying to know the secret from start to finish."

"Sounds like a page-turner."

"Thanks, it's my life's work." Bill replied dryly. "But turning away from the subject of coats," Dipper looked back to eye Bill curiously. "You said that we were on a path to nowhere. Where does this one go?" Dipper looked pleased, for whatever reason.

"An old mine. No one works there anymore though, and it's miles away from any town. If you're headed out to food and shelter, I wouldn't put my faith in this route." Bill scowled.

"So why are _you_ on this path?" Dipper hesitated a little too long.

"Visiting."

"So the first time wasn't a fluke, you really are a terrible liar." Dipper sent him a warning look, though with his baby face Bill felt far from threatened. "Alright, fine. Visiting who?" Bill relented with a smirk, deciding to humor whatever story Dipper had.

"The mine."

"No one lives in a defunct mine."

"People live _near_ mines."

"Then why didn't you say who you were visiting near the mine in the first place?"

"I didn't need to."

"He or she?" Dipper broke the back-and-forth with a confused, wary look.

"Why?" Bill gave a close-lipped smile.

"You're being so secretive, I thought you might be heading out to meet a sweetheart or something. Don’t know why you’d keep it from me of all people, though." Dipper's cheeks dusted pink as he scowled.

"I'm not." Bill raised an eyebrow.

"Fine. I'll let it lie. But you know these paths better than me, where's civilization? Which path do I take to get there?" Dipper rebounded quickly and gestured somewhere off to the right.

"Civilization is a town named Fivil. Follow me, I'll lead you there." Bill's smile was genuine and grateful this time. Dipper's cheeks turned a little pinker at the sight.

"That'd be wonderful. Is there any chance I can bunk up with you? Just for the night." Dipper ignored that and adjusted course, though that turned out to be 'straight into the bushes.' Bill reluctantly followed.

"Where'd you come from? Don't you have someone expecting you?" Dipper asked, looking over his shoulder as he ducked under a branch. Bill chuckled nervously.

"Let's leave that at a 'no', friend."


	2. Chapter 2

Their little off-road trip brought them both to the edge of town, which was ringed by several humble, cozy-looking homes and then slowly climbed up into marketplaces, taverns, and small shops. At the town's center looked to be a couple of nobility's residences, some inns, and other tallish buildings Bill couldn't be bothered to guess at. Slightly off-center was a huge domed structure of grey stone. Distantly, Cipher saw some kind of sigil marked in mosaic near the crest that led him to believe it was the town's church. Bill turned to face Dipper with a smirk.

"Where do you fit in there?" Cipher asked lightly. He assumed Dipper was rich, judging by his clothes and mannerisms. Dipper shrugged and gestured to somewhere in the center, proving Bill at least somewhat right.

"Eh. Doesn't matter much." Dipper waved him off and threw his leg over the wood fence separating the forest from the grassy cleared land making up the town's elbow room. Bill sent Dipper a skeptical look (he still hadn't answered if he would give Bill a place to stay or not,) but nonetheless hopped the fence too.

"How old are you anyway? Shouldn't you have a job, or be at school?" Dipper stopped and looked at Bill over his shoulder.

"Shouldn't you?" Bill scowled.

"That's different. You live here."

"Yeah, but you can't be much older than how I look, and I know for a fact that you don't travel... _well_." He looked Bill over with a concerned but ultimately distasteful look. Bill recoiled. "This isn't your day job, is it Bill?" Dipper looked Cipher straight in the eye. Bill didn't like the intensity of that calm stare. It made him almost want to squirm.

"No." He answered uneasily.

"Where'd you come from?" Bill shook his head and gave Dipper a light look of warning.

"I've already refused to answer that once, Dipper." Dipper smiled wide and moved like he'd huffed out a silent laugh. Bill blinked at the sudden transition.

"Don't back down easy, do you?" Dipper asked playfully. Bill returned the smile nervously.

"No. Not really. Personal policy of sorts, to be honest." After a moment of light scrutiny, Dipper just shrugged and sighed.

"Fair enough, I can respect that." Dipper faced Bill fully and held out a hand. Bill thought for a strange second that he was meant to take it, but then Dipper gestured for Cipher to follow him instead and used the momentum of the action to face forward at the town.

"Where'd you come from?" Bill asked. Dipper hummed.

"Here. Why?"

"You said it didn't matter where you lived. You just don't seem attached to this place, that's all." Dipper glanced back too fast for Bill to catch his expression.

"Well, I meant here in general. The country, the people, the land... Here." Bill tilted his head to the side.

"You don't have a home?" Dipper punched out a laugh.

"No, I have a home. Just doesn't have the same meaning to you as it does to me." Dipper waved him off again. "Like I said, it doesn't matter." Bill scowled.

"It's starting to sound like the town in general is your home." Dipper turned a patronizing smile on him, which made something in Bill's stomach sour considering Mystery Teen's speech earlier about their age difference. "As in... you have no home." Dipper's smile turned strained. Bill grinned. "Ah, I guess you can't give me a place to stay, can you? What are you, a runaway?" Bill prodded. Dipper shook his head as he looked away with a scoff, but he still bore a slight suppressed smirk.

"I won't repeat myself." Bill tried not to take that as a challenge. He really did.

"You will if I push the issue enough." Dipper sent Bill a playful, warning expression.

"There's a blurry line between curiosity and obsession, Bill. Don't cross it."

"Why not?" Bill joked. "'Obsessed' is an interesting thing to be. It's hard to find that kind of tunnel vision with anything else, and any kind of rarity is valuable to me."

"You sound like my uncle." Dipper snickered. Bill paused as they walked to look around them and survey the marketplace they'd wandered into.

"Do I know him?"

"No." Bill's eye was drawn from highest quality to lowest. Thick furs, steaming vats of stuff that smelled like cider or chocolate, some wines for fruits he'd never heard of. "Would you like to?" Bill tore his eyes away from a tray of earrings.

"What?" Dipper shrugged.

"Would you like to meet him?" He said it clear and slow this time.  Bill gave Dipper a confused look.

“I thought you were a runaway.” Dipper sent Cipher a humorless smile.

“I’m a little too old to be running away from home, don’t you think?”

“Not too old to be _moving_ away. Is that the case?” Bill thought he’d have to guess for the rest of time, but that brought a look of amused surprise to Dipper’s face.

“Oh hey, that one was close.” He laughed.  Bill stopped them both to lean against a brick wall. They didn’t have any set destination anymore, but he did want to talk.

“So let me try and figure this out…” Bill began. Dipper crossed his arms as he leaned against the wall with Bill, gesturing ‘go on.’ “You’re too old to be a runaway, but you haven’t quite moved out. You live near your family, just not with them, you tend to meet people outside of town in abandoned, out-of-the-way locations, and you’re reluctant to settle in or leave the area.” Dipper’s wry smile fell a little as Bill talked, but it remained as something genuine and worryingly unidentifiable. Bill gave Dipper a concerned look.

“Is everything going ok with your family? I may not be good with travelling, but I can certainly help you and whoever you’re meeting to get out of here. The coming and going bits are what I’m good with, just not the in-between.” Dipper looked Bill in the eye for an unsettling amount of time. Cipher, refusing to look away, broke their silence with, “Family is hard to leave, I should know, but sometimes the chaos of leaving is better than the chaos of staying.” Dipper suddenly looked down.

“It isn’t.” He muttered. Cipher narrowed his eyes and leaned forward.

“What do you mean?”

“It won’t be better. I just need a break from all the…” Dipper pressed his lips together and gestured vaguely with his hands, then growled and threw them up. “’Chaos of staying,’ like you said. It’s not even chaos, anyway.” The statement trailed off into muttering again as Dipper looked off into the crowd of shoppers. People were starting to clear out as their breaths grew visible and shadows stretched.

“Then what is it?” Bill prodded. Dipper huffed out a cloud and made sure to look Bill straight in the eye.

“Annoyance.” He stated pointedly. Cipher grinned and chuckled.

“Understood. I’ll stop prying.” Dipper rolled his eyes and stepped away from the wall.

“In any case, I led you to civilization and I have no place to keep you.  I should get going.” Cipher frowned and grabbed his arm to tug him back. Dipper looked back at Bill with a confused expression.

“Where am I supposed to go?” Dipper gave Bill an exasperated look.

“I don’t know how you’ve found yourself all the way out here so woefully unprepared, but I don’t know what to tell you. Give the church a try.” Dipper jerked his chin in the direction of the domed building. Bill let go of Dipper’s arm and took a step back to cross his arms, smiling nervously.

“I won’t sleep in a church. I don’t even know what kind of god or goddess it worships. If I cared about that kind of thing, I’d call it sacrilegious, but… I don’t.” Dipper looked to the sky with a sigh.

“If you don’t care, then it shouldn’t be a problem. If you know any other places that house freeloaders, be my guest. If not…” Dipper shrugged and held out his hands in a "what can you do" sort of gesture. “Well then.” Bill groaned and looked behind himself at the distant structure. “Maybe we’ll see each other again soon, Bill. I’d like that. But first you have to avoid freezing to death, and that’ll be a little hard if you don’t find a way around this housing problem of yours.” Bill scowled.

“… Yeah.” He said dismissively. They stood in silence for a moment or two as Cipher considered his situation, then Dipper sighed.

“Goodbye, Bill. Good luck.” Bill narrowed his eyes at the finality of the statement, even though he didn’t hear the kid walking away.

Despite that, Dipper was gone when Bill turned around. Cipher glanced around to check which direction the kid was walking away, but he was nowhere to be seen in the crowd either.

“… Goodbye…” Bill muttered to thin air. A shiver ran through him, heavy enough to almost be a shudder.  Either Dipper had served as a distraction from the cold, or the “mystery of the abnormally warm boy” had been keeping Bill comfortable while they walked. In any case, the cold was creeping in fast. There could be no dawdling in making this decision.

Fortunately, or maybe unfortunately, Cipher wasn’t an idiot. He didn't think that he could walk around and hope for some inn to give him a room when he had no money or collateral, that was something churches like the ones Dipper pointed out were famous for. He tilted his head back and closed his eyes, groaning internally. The sky was turning orange, and the cold would only get worse once the sun disappeared completely. Hopeless as he was, he could at least rest easy with the knowledge that this religion didn’t seem to be one he was familiar with. All this and the pain of freezing extremities finally pushed him to walk down the street and slowly navigate to the nearby gray dome.

Upon arrival, the first thing Bill noticed was that it happened to be much larger than he had originally estimated. Instead of being a single cylinder, the dome simply covered the main entrance and the rest was an indoor courtyard, curving out in a huge oval behind it. Huge stained glass windows showed no imagery besides starburst and colorfully woven designs as Bill stepped through the twin pillars guarding the entrance. Only the west windows were lit up in orange light, the rest were darkening rapidly while people in robes of black and silver scurried around to light spherical lamps of blue glass in the palms of huge black statues. These only made up half the sculptures in the room, while the other half was white marble, situated under skylights and set in small indoor gardens of grass and wildflowers. River-like paths of blue mosiac flowed from each statue's feet to the back of the room.

It looked just unfamiliar, and admittedly beautiful, enough for Bill to feel comfortable spending a night here. The door slammed shut behind him and the people in silver began to pile wood into a fire pit at the center of the room, which further cemented his decision. He could really use a thawing.

Going down the path to the fire pit meant walking between two black statues holding a silver chain above his head. Looking closely, the two were arguably the youngest in the bunch, in their late teens or early twenties. What really drew his attention though were the coins placed at their feet. He knelt down to look at the plaque carved out on the boy's stone platform, brushed aside a couple coins and picked one up to toy with while he confirmed that, yes, he couldn’t really read the plaques for the why or the how, and he only knew the spoken language. Nonetheless, his curiosity spiked anyway. 

“Sir?” Cipher turned around to see a man, taller and wider than he, standing behind him. He was smiling in the kind of vacant way that carefree optimists tend to. Cipher liked those. Easy to befriend, hard to offend. “Are you staying here tonight?” Cipher was surprised and looked around at the other robed people in the pavilion while he slowly stood.

“Is that a problem?” Bill asked somewhat worriedly. The man smiled wider and shook his head.

“Oh no, sir. You just looked lost, I was wondering if you’d ever taken shelter here or not.” Cipher adopted a winning, if not sheepish, smile.

“That easy to tell, huh?”

“No offense sir, but you don’t look your best. Kind of dirty and scraped up.” Bill tried not to let that annoy him, especially considering it was just a cheerily delivered truth.

“Not by choice, I assure you.”

“That’s obvious. I don’t think I’ve ever met a person who came here to bunk up because they had somewhere else to stay.” The man touched Bill’s upper arm and began to lead him away. “So you’ve never stayed in a Huíam Church before?” That was a hard word to translate, and it took some thought to see what he meant. Híam, Huía, and Huíam all meant something close to “humanity,” but specifically equated to “humans; as in animals,” “humans; as in people,” and “humans; as in both/either” respectively. Once Bill worked it through, he shook his head.

"Ah, no. I don't even really know where I am." He admitted. The man grinned.

"Well, you picked a nice place to be lost." Bill found himself being led to a stairwell at the feet of a white statue, this one especially laden in gold and copper coins. The concept of sleeping underground unnerved him, but there wasn't much he could do in his situation. "How long do you think you'll be here? We can only help you for a month or two." Shame crept up on him upon realizing that he was being boarded out of charity, especially when he was led to a large room with rows of clean, thin cots. 

"I imagine I'll be gone by then." Bill mumbled as his eyes roved around. There were a couple of people there who looked like they'd been in a permanent version of Bill's situation for far too long. 

"That's fine too. Look for anyone in a silver sash if you need anything, alright?" Bill grabbed the man's shoulder when he realized that they were turning to leave.

"Hey, wait!" They stopped and regarded Bill with a confused expression. "What's your name?" The man relaxed and smiled again.

"Just call me Soos, friend." Bill smirked and let his hand drop at his side.

"Bill Cipher. I'll see you in the morning?" Soos laughed.

"No, I'll be asleep by then." Bill took a step back.

"Well, goodnight, in any case." Soos considered that.

"Well, I guess I can have a good night whether I'm asleep or awake. Goodnight to you too!" Soos smiled and waved, then left Bill to his own devices. 

Cipher waited until the man was gone before he pulled the coin he'd nabbed back out of his pocket and took a better look at the local currency. The golden coin was slightly bigger than his iris with an inscription of a pine tree on its face. The other side revealed a phrase he, once again, could not read.

"Maybe I should stay for a while." He muttered to himself. "Find out where all this is going." He pocketed it and headed towards one of the cots. "A warm, free bed can't hurt, in any case."


	3. Chapter 3

At a loss of what to do next and how to get a job or a new home, Bill was compelled by boredom to investigate what was really at the end of the path Dipper was wandering down. Was he lying about who he was meeting, or the place itself?

What was so interesting about it that it would make a good meeting place, anyway?

Bill borrowed a cloak and a robe undershirt from the church before he headed out. They were both midnight blue with silver trim, and though he looked like a walking advertisement it helped to make him feel a little more like himself. He retied his hair into a dark puff of curls at the nape of his neck, splashed some water on his face, and set out.

Bill’s first line of action was to try and retrace the path that Dipper guided him on. Difficult, considering it was unmarked, but still he remembered the field they had emerged into and threw a leg over the most recognizable stretch of fencing he could find.

When he stumbled upon the original marked path he’d set himself up for failure on, he knew he’d guessed right. He turned and quickly walked down until the trees thinned and he came across a clearing.

His first impression: Dipper was honest about one thing, it looked like an abandoned mining outpost. There was a row of about five old log cabins to house workers and the beginnings, or endings, of a sign arching above a collapsed tunnel mouth, faintly proclaiming spotted, patchy letters he wouldn’t be able to read even if he knew the local writing system.

The second thing that caught his eye was a girl with a fine fur cloak and crown of flowers, the same vague age range as Dipper, who sat up against a mass of coarse black fur. Upon his entrance, she looked up and rose to her feet so quickly that Bill was surprised she didn’t stumble from a dizzy spell.

“Bill! Bill Cipher!” She cried, speeding walking towards him. Bill’s eye darted to the mass of fur as it lumbered to its feet after her, and couldn’t hold in a yelp when the thing registered as a _giant wild boar easily as tall as the both of them._

“I am he, just-!” Bill stepped back frantically with wide eyes, gesturing vaguely to the animal. “Who are you, and why do you have a BOAR with you?!” The girl paused, so did the boar. She smiled softly and sheepishly.

“This guy?” She asked, reaching up to scratch it behind the ears. It snorted softly and leaned into her touch.

“Yes, _that guy.”_ She giggled.

“Oh, this is just Waddles. Is he the reason you’re so nervous?” _Who the hell calls a war machine like that “Waddles?”_ He numbly nodded, eyes glued the shining tusks as long as his hand. He’d heard stories about these animals before, smart creatures with a “if I die, you do too” approach to hunters and unintentionally threatening bypassers alike. The girl turned and started muttering sweetly into the thing’s ear. It shrunk rapidly until the girl held a tiny, striped piglet to her chest.

“Here! Not so scary, right?” She held it out and, too shocked by just what he had just seen to really protest, he took it gingerly. The piglet nuzzled up against the cup of his palm, tawny fur soft under his fingers. The dark eyes blinked up at him innocently.

“…I guess not.” He muttered when he felt his heart swell a bit despite the situation. She giggled.

“I’m Mabel. You’ve been talking to my brother lately, right?” Bill looked up at her.

“Who’s your brother?” He asked, though from looking at the girl he already knew the answer. He only knew one other person here who had chestnut hair, a snub nose, round dark eyes, and indeterminable age.

“Dipper, I’m pretty sure you’ve met him? He’s my twin, and…” Her expression turned into distress and sadness. Bill felt himself feeling for Mabel, though he’d only just met her. “Well, he’s kind of… disappeared.” Bill had officially been emotionally sucker punched out of shock and into general acceptance. Either the portion of his brain that would be surprised that Dipper is probably just as supernatural as his sister had failed from overload or his mind had just decided it wasn’t useful anymore and kicked it to the curb, so of course his next question (instead of “why did you know I would be here, how can you do that,” or “what are you”) was,

“Dipper told me he wasn’t a runaway?” Mabel whined to herself and ran a hand through her hair.

“Well, he’s not a kid anymore. I guess it’s his right to leave when he wants. But he’s been gone for so long! Things are starting to fall apart without him… just a little. Kind of.” Bill chewed on the inside of his cheek as he considered that. “I’m worried.” She added quietly.

“What do you want me to do about that, in all seriousness? I have no clue what any of this is. All I know is that there’s Dipper, a terrible liar who’s never cold, and then there’s you, his twin who can tame and shrink wild boars into babies,” She smiled faintly at that. “So now there’s me, caught in the middle of this for no real reason. This seems like a local issue.” Mabel tilted her head to the side.

“What do you mean?” Bill sighed and looked down at the baby boar, who was now starting to squirm out of his arms and squeal.

“If I believed in this kind of thing… I’d say you two are spirits or deities or something.” He said as he set down the pig. Waddles took off to go gallop looping tracks into the snow. “And if I’m not hallucinating all of this… not out of the question, really, then I’d say the locals who DO believe in you and worship you should be concerned with this issue. Why would Dipper come to me, an outsider?” Mabel groaned and twined her hands together.

“That’s probably exactly the reason Dipper went to you. If you were anyone else, I could tell you about the situation we’re in and you’d instantly understand. You’d probably have recognized him and prayed to me already, telling me where he is, what he said… but you’re you. You don’t care about what’s going on because it’s none of your business.” Bill nodded and shrugged with a “fair enough,” expression.

“And yet… here you are, asking me where he is anyway?” She nodded sheepishly.

“Please? I need to know.” She clasped her hands together, pleading. Bill huffed and considered his position. Maybe he had caught an illness from coming into a completely foreign town, and this was all a fever dream. Perhaps someone had slipped him something. Maybe he’d actually been knocked out by a guard way back in the beginning of his journey, though several days of travel had made for a boring and miserable dream.

Or maybe this was real. What did he have to lose by indulging it?

“Assuming I believe you… assuming that I’m not hallucinating… I don’t know.” Mabel’s face fell.

“Oh come on!” She groaned. Bill smirked.

“I don’t! He just kind of comes and goes, into thin air, then out of it. It’s always near me, though. I’ve never picked him out of the crowd, so I couldn’t tell you where he hangs out after.” At that, Mabel stopped and side-eyed Bill. It wasn’t malicious, just curious and investigative.

“Hey…” She began, “How’d you meet?” He was a little caught off guard by the question.

“Why? What does that have to do with anything?” He asked, narrowing his eyes. She grinned.

“It’ll help me figure something out. Did you see where he came from?” Bill stared for a moment.

“No, but that still doesn’t-“

“Did you see him come up to you? And where from?” Mabel pressed. She stepped forward to almost press into his personal bubble before Bill stepped back.

“No, but…” He trailed off. “Where are you going with this?” Their eyes locked. Mabel grinned mischievously.

“Did you _hear_ him coming up to you?” Bill stopped and looked down, brows furrowed.

“That isn’t something I really… think about...” He muttered, but looked up after a moment of thought. “I remember he scared the shit out of me. I was talking to myself and suddenly he piped up right behind me, like he’d just been following behind for a while.” Bill crossed his arms and looked off to the side. “He did that later, too. Said goodbye and popped out of existence while I wasn’t looking. I never heard his footsteps…” Bill looked back to Mabel, who was grinning. “… What’s that look for?” Mabel grinned and took a step back, clasping her hands behind her back.

“I know where Dipper is now.” She looked far too pleased with herself and Bill for that to mean anything boding well. Bill eyed her suspiciously.

“Where?” Mabel’s smile grew wider. She reached out,

“Right… here.” And pressed a fingertip to Bill’s forehead.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's Mabel and her "pet pig!" If there's any tags I should add, anything I should know, or hey, you just liked reading so far, feel free to leave a comment or somethin'!


	4. Chapter 4

“Get him to come out, she says.” Bill muttered. He stomped down the stairs to the shelter. “It’ll be easy, she says. It’s your own damn head, just figure it out! _She-_ ” Bill growled out some curses, making a passing duo of priestesses give him the side-eye, before sliding into the cot room and slamming bodily into his blankets.

The bed creaked dangerously enough to give Bill a minor heart attack and visions of broken tailbones, but still recovered with no damage. Bill took a deep breath to calm down, kicked off his boots, and tucked the blanket under his feet and over his head in pursuit of sleep. The church had no curfew, just the bells that marked the change of shifts. Daytime and nighttime both had constant movement and eternal lantern light down here, which admittedly screwed with his sleep schedule.

_How to summon a god._

_Prayer._

_No. He’s already in my head, thinking politely won’t help anything._

_Ritual._

_I know of absolutely no rituals. Unhelpful._

_Sacrifice._

_That took a morbid turn, but I don’t know what I would actually sacrifice._

Cipher’s attention suddenly went off autopilot and onto his surroundings. The first feeling that struck him was that the air hung strangely, like sudden unprompted silence in a crowded room. The second sensation was the reverse of realizing he’d spaced out while eating, and suddenly his morsel was gone without remembering a single bite. Instead of food, Bill looked down to see a golden coin twisting between his fingers.

“When did I…?” He muttered. Bill paused twirling it to inspect the flashing face under the dim of his blanket.

_Sacrifice. This is the only money I have._

Bill pursed his lips with a huff through his nose. “Not very subtle, are ya Dipper?” Bill muttered.

The coin glinted.

Bill got out of bed with a groan, tossing the covers aside. “What use does a god have of money?” Cipher muttered. He trekked up the stairs wondering how he would spot the right alter, only to narrow his eyes when he noticed the statues above looked… different. More luminous. Every one of them looked even more lifelike than before, with faces, heights and even body types different from their previous counterparts.

Weirder yet, Bill could read the plaques. They weren’t in his home language nor in the region’s writing, but something vague he could look at and simply… understand.

He’d emerged from the under the feet of a white marble man in his fifties, mischievous-looking and proud with the end of one silver chain in hand.

_Stafornliyor, God of Wealth and Luck_

On the other end of the chain was an identical man, stern with curious, intelligent eyes.

_Stafornliod, God of Wisdom and Invention_

At the very back of the pavilion, Bill looked up to face four looming statues presiding over the pavilion, two midnight black, two bright as a summer day, all more ancient and dignified than he could ever imagine. In their eyes shone a kind of power only known from being as old as the sky itself. The like colors held hands, fingers twined and held close to each others shoulders. It felt strangely intimate, and what pissed Bill off the most was that he felt the urge to bow his head, lower his gaze. Such strangers had no right to make him feel _lower_ than _anyone._ He stole glances at their names, first the black,

_Kilosoam, God of Death_

_Siosoam, Goddess of Life_

The white,

_Deviril, God of Heaven_

_Javirilit, Goddess of Hell_

And turned his back on them all with a grimace, then faced the rest of their ilk. Their kin, he realized. Paths stemmed from the ancient god’s feet to trace the semblance of an extensive family tree. One branch, however, the newest generation’s, stood out to him in a peaceful way. These two were the smallest, most humble, and generally more human-sized. He realized belatedly that the brother of the two was the one he’d stolen a coin from. He walked down the path to meet the brother and sister, looked up, and huffed out a laugh.

It was them. Shining and dark was the visage of the odd pair of siblings he kept on stumbling across lately, Dipper and Mabel. He took a look at their feet to see who he’d been dealing with.

_Mahbelisium, Goddess of the Heart_

Bill cracked a smirk. That seemed oddly fitting for the expressive young woman.

_Costallastiyon, God of the Mind_

With a sigh and a glance up at “Dipper’s” face, Bill put the coin back at the statue’s feet.

Nothing happened. No shimmer in the air, no rumble, nothing that might denote the appearance of a god. Bill frowned and grit his teeth. He didn’t know what he was expecting, Dipper hadn’t come or gone with any sense of drama before. Bill turned around and sat down against the base of the statue.

“This was a bad idea.” Bill muttered.

“Is something really a bad idea if it works?” Dipper chirped. Bill jumped sky high and twisted around to see Dipper, sitting on stone feet.

“Stop…” Bill pointed at Dipper with a grimace. “Stop doing that!” He hissed. Dipper titled his head to the side.

“Doing what?” He asked innocently. The glint in his eyes said he knew _exactly_ what.

“Sneaking up behind me!” Dipper just threw his head back and laughed. Bill felt his cheeks grow hot.

“What’s so funny?!” Dipper grinned and shrugged.

“I’ve just been with you for two days now. It just seems funny to me that you see it as ‘sneaking up.’” Bill smirked.

“It is when you only appear while my back is turned, you stalker.” Bill pushed himself up to sit at the same level as Dipper. The god raised an eyebrow.

“I’m not a stalker.” Dipper stated. Bill chuckled.

“Says the man who jumped in my head without warning. So what’s with that, do you see everything I see? I don’t understand the appeal.” Bill, as lightly as he put it, was stating an actual worry as casually as he could. He might die of embarrassment if it turned out Dipper had, in fact, been tuned into the several things he does when no-one is watching, including all the times Bill’s mind had lingered in the gutter.

“Don’t worry, I don’t watch you defecate or anything, and I can’t read your thoughts unless you want me to. I can inhabit minds, but really my passion lies in curiosity, memories, learning experiences…” Dipper grinned at Bill’s sigh of relief. “I like investigating and knowing how things tick. I’d have to possess you in order to actually see through your eyes, but really any god can do that.” Bill’s eyes widened as he leaned away, making Dipper laugh quietly. “I’m not going to possess you, Bill. Relax. I need your permission for that, too.” Bill relaxed a fraction of an inch.

“Seriously? A god needing permission?” Bill asked skeptically. Dipper shrugged.

“It’s generally considered good manners. It’s easier that way, too. For now I’m just tagging along, nothing insidious.”

“What’s so interesting about ‘tagging along’ _my_ head?” Bill muttered. Dipper tilted his head to the side.

“You mean, what makes it worth investigating? Inhabiting?” He clarified with a frown. Cipher nodded.

“… I can’t phrase that in simple terms, and I don’t want to take up too much of your time. But if you’re just asking “why you…” I’m really sorry, but it’s a little bit a matter of convenience.” Dipper looked down as he admitted it. Bill’s face fell a bit.

“Your sister told me it was because I wouldn’t recognize you and go running to her.” Dipper’s brows shot up.

“You met my sister?” He sounded… wary. Bill remembered their previous conversation on avoiding family and frowned.

“Yeah. Is _she_ the reason you jumped into my head?” Dipper quickly looked away to begin a sort of stuttering, fast-paced ramble.

“No, not really, there’s this holiday soon, a sort of auspicious event, and-“ Dipper stopped himself, as if realizing he might be saying too much, then relaxed and continued on hesitantly. “… and, well, you see, we’ve been doing it for thousands of years. It’s very… _personal._ ” Dipper huffed. “I’m a little sick of Mabel taking the reins _every single time._ I wanted to do it myself before the event, because the _last_ time I went on my own to do it, Mabel… anyway, I figured if I just did it quickly before she got wind of what I was doing, I could just... So yes? She _is_ the reason, but she’s _not_ the reason…” Dipper folded his hands in his lap and fell silent as his ears turned cherry red. “If any of that made any sense at all.” Bill squinted at Dipper.

“Huh.” _Well that was… cute?_ “Well, I barely got a word of that, but it sounds like you’re scared of your sister.” Dipper turned even redder.

“I’m not scared of my sister!”

“If you have to jump through so many hoops just so you can leave her side for a few days, then I’d say you are.” Bill started to pick the dirt out from under his fingernails. “Thank you for answering my questions, but we got off topic. In any case, she’s worried and wants to see you. That’s my message.” Dipper looked up at Bill through his lashes.

“Of course she is... does. Is that all you wanted to say?” Bill smirked.

“Don’t sound so disappointed. I do have questions, but you made it sound like we have limited time earlier.” Dipper shrugged and stood up. Bill took the offered hand to stand up with him so they could start walking to the shelters.

“Well, you can’t dream forever.” Bill narrowed his eyes at Dipper in confusion before realization dawned.

“Wh- _oh.”_ Dipper smiled softly to himself as Bill looked up and gestured to all the statues.  “Oh _of course, that’s_ why everything looks so weird. Feels so weird…” Bill shuddered. “If you can control what I dream, you can’t control what I think, can you? I know you said “permissions” and all that, but-“

“No, no, nothing like that.  The hallucinations of me you’ve been receiving are the worst you’ll get, I promise not to gaslight you.” The word was lost in translation.

“Gaslight…?” Dipper smiled sheepishly.

“To make you think you’re crazy.” He explained. Bill barked out a laugh.

“Too late! But being in someone’s head and not getting to do anything must be tempting. You have more restraint than I do. If I were in your place, I’d probably play pranks nonstop!” Dipper shook his head with a sort of amused disbelief.

“Or maybe I just have better morals. If you were in my place, I’d call you a demon.” Bill smiled and shrugged.

“Maybe. People have to have their differences, so I’m glad for this one.” Dipper looked over at Bill with a fond smile.

“I’m glad I jumped into your head.” Bill paused as they came to the foot of the stairs down and gave Dipper a strange look.

“Why?” Dipper shrugged and started again.

“You won’t kneel. You’ve figured out that I have a solid grip over your sanity and quality of life as you know it. I am a god, I could very well lead you off a cliff, guide you into an asylum. Yet not once have you begged or groveled. It’s…” Dipper tilted his head to the side in search for the right word. “Refreshing. It’s very refreshing. The other gods talk down to me, my parents, my grandparents, and to some extent my grun- my great uncles. I have guardians abound and only one person my age, but she’s… clingy.” Dipper pulled his gaze down sheepishly. “I’ll love her till the sun goes out, but you can only spend so many centuries planted so firmly at someone’s side. My followers… well, they’re my followers. They don’t talk, they pray. It’s always a one-sided torrent of current events and well-wishing and _begging_. It’s nice to have someone to talk to…” They both stopped at the foot of Bill’s bed. Dipper slowly looked up to meet Bill’s eye.

“It’s nice to have a friend.” Bill blinked with surprise. To be on such casual terms as “friends” with a god of all things wasn’t something he’d ever considered before.

“Uh… thanks.” Bill was at a loss to say much else, but it made Dipper laugh anyway.

“No need for that. Let’s talk tomorrow night, ok? Just fall asleep if you ever want something.” Bill shook himself out of the stupor to ask,

“What if I can’t fall asleep?” It was a reflexive question, but the answer should have been obvious. Cipher felt foolish at Dipper’s smirk.

“Bill, you will _never_ have trouble sleeping again. Not with a god of minds dwelling in your head.” Dipper said confidently. Bill took a breath to respond.

Then he blinked, and found himself staring at the ceiling with the taste of sleep in his mouth.

“Damn.” He muttered, and dragged the blanket back over his head.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> DUDE.  
> I'm DOING THIS.  
> Anyway if you have anything to tell me, if there are any tags I should add, or hey, you just liked reading it, drop a comment! I'd adore hearing from you!


	5. Chapter 5

Bill needed money. His natural inclination, of course, was to head straight past the local job bulletin, into a bar, and directly towards the drunkest guy there. He sat down in the chair next to him and crowded into the poor man in a flurry of noise and shouting,

“Hey! My buddy, my friend, my pal, my partner, how have you been?” Bill rattled off every synonym for “comrade” he could possibly think of in this language’s hellishly varied vocabulary. It wasn’t many, but hey, he tried. The man’s hand flinched towards his belt, but relaxed with a confused expression when he saw Bill’s wide, friendly smile. “Can I buy you a drink? You look like you’re running out there-“ He reached out to tip the stranger’s glass towards himself, only to have his hand slapped away.

“Oi! Don’t touch my…” The man growled halfheartedly, only to rest his forehead back on the cool polished wood of the bar’s counter again.

“Woo, buddy, you look… rough.” Bill winced in sympathy and patted the stranger’s back. He just groaned. Bill noticed they wore a dress jacket with the fine cloth ripped at the seams, the guy probably had a very rough day.

“Your accent is very thick.” The drunk man slurred into the table, slow and weary. “Like you have an egg in your mouth.” Bill laughed.

“So is yours, my friend. You speak better than I do, though. Are you from Tayfen?” He rocked his head back and forth on the wood in a sad sort of shake.

“Lios.” A little country directly next door to Tayfen with possibly an even worse crime rate than his own dear home. They had the same language and accents with only small differences in slang, government, and culture. Bill grinned and switched to his own home language so he could talk faster and easier.

“Ah, Lios! I hear the mountains are beautiful this time of year, aren't they? Here,” Bill swiped the wallet from his pocket and held it in front of the Liosan stranger’s nose. “I’m off to buy us some drinks, ok? I’ll be right back.”  Just as Bill was about to leave, the stranger grabbed Cipher’s wrist and sat up to look him in the eye.

“I will not allow you to steal from me.” He struggled to say. It came out slurred and his eyes went out of focus afterwards, but he did tighten his grip to the point of pain. Bill laughed nervously.

“No, friend. I’m just buying us drinks. I swear on my life I’ll come back!” Bill said lightheartedly. The man continued to squint suspiciously at Bill for an awkward moment before releasing him and grumbling, “You better.” Bill stuck around to watch the Liosan plant his face back onto the table before taking off again.

Bill abandoned the idea of just making off with the whole wallet and was starting to work out a short-change con in the back of his head  as he approached the bar, but then realized he didn’t know the language well enough to do it quickly and fluidly. He brought it further up to try and memorize a line or two, then realized a few feet away from the bartender that he didn’t know the names/values of the currency too well either. By the time he actually made it to the counter, the bartender--an old, well-worn man--was giving him such an irritated, knowing look that Bill gave into his doubt altogether and ditched that idea too.

“Hi! How are you?” He chirped, flashing a smile. The bartender grunted and turned his full attention to Bill.

“What is it, Tayfenni?” Bill pointed back at the Liosan, who lazily waved when he saw he was being referred to.

“Can I have two more of whatever he’s been having?” The bartender glanced back at Bill’s stranger and raised a skeptical brow.

“Does he know it’s his money you’re using to buy your own drink?” Bill shrugged.

“He didn’t seem too opposed, so long as I was doing what I said I was.” Bill spread his hands with a laugh. “The guy just doesn’t want to get up, and he’s from my region. I thought we could talk, since I’m new here.”  The bartender narrowed his eyes, but got two glasses out from under the counter anyway.

“20 li.” Bill nodded his thanks and looked into the pouch, fishing around inside. The bartender filled the glasses, pushed them all towards Bill, and then slumped with exasperation as all suspicion left his features. “The copper ones, Tayfenni. 20 copper, 2-“

“2 silver, yes, thank you.” Bill murmured along with him, then quickly counted out 10 copper and 1 silver upon discovering there wasn’t enough “li.”

“It’s the names I have trouble with, not the values.” Bill dropped the money into the waiting palm of the bartender with yet another charming smile. The bartender just grunted again and turned away.

Bill plopped himself back down next to his Liosan, who was suddenly much more amicable to his presence now that he had drinks.

“Hey! Friend!” He slurred. Bill smirked.

“I’m your friend now, huh?” He snarked. The Liosan took a sip pf his drink.

“Eh, why not?” Bill shrugged and started to chug down his own drink, tossing the wallet back to the Liosan.

When they finished, Bill took out some money from the returned wallet saying he was going to “tip the bartender,” only to head straight for the exit. All in all, the night had gone well. He had a nice buzz, some money on hand, all was well.

And yet, Bill wasn’t even 10 feet out the door when he heard a voice pipe up, gravelly and spirited.

“Bill Cipher!” Bill closed his eyes and took a deep breath to fight to irritation down.

_That’s the last time I tell a stranger my real name, no matter how mysterious and… eventually godly they turn out to be._

He turned around to see yet another familiar face, this time not because of familial relation, but more like the visage of someone you saw a long time ago, or maybe in a dream.

“Dipper showed me you.” He realized, pointing to the old man. They smirked and pointed back.

“Mabel showed you to me too! That confirms it, then.” The man strode forward and clasped Bill by the shoulder. “So how’s the secondhand godhood treating you?” Bill chuckled nervously.

“Depends on who you are and what you mean by that.” He replied, stepping back. “You’re one of the gods, but I can’t remember which…” The stranger raised a brow and put a hand in his pocket, the other tucking a sleek cane near his body. Bill noticed just how formally they were dressed, yet they had such a comfortable and  _informal_ demeanor.

“I should be offended, but Dipper _is_ your first contact with our family. I am Stafornliyor, God of wealth and luck, great uncle to Mahbelisium and Costallastiyon.” Bill gave a “Stafornliyor” a troubled, confused look. He was a split second away from just turning away and going back to the church when they smiled and laughed.

“But who the hell can remember that? I can’t even _spell_ any of those! Just call me Stan, Dipper and Mabel’s grunckle. I’ve heard great things about you!” The corner of Bill’s mouth twitched up into an uncertain smile as he straightened and shifted to face Stan completely, arms crossed. Ok. He could get used to this, mundane encounters with friendly gods at every corner. At least, he found it happening whether he wanted to or not.

“I’m glad!” Bill finally managed, recovering well enough. “Nothing you can do but your best when it’s revealed you’re going insane. So that’s one question answered, now for the next.” Bill looked up at Stan with a smirk. “What do you mean, secondhand godhood?”

“Ah.” Stan took a few steps past Bill, briskly gesturing with his cane to follow. “Walk with me, Bill.” Cipher rolled his eyes with a huff and stepped in next to the old god. “I don’t want to candy coat this or go on and on showing off my “godly omniscience” like my brother would, so here’s the gist of your situation and why Mabel’s in such a twist about it.”

“The siblings taught me that means you’re going to spew something vague at me and then disappear dramatically.” Stan barked out a laugh.

“Yeah, I taught them that. Great showmen, aren’t they?” Stan asked. Bill just grunted.  “Anyway, back to business. We gods all have physical bodies, but they never last forever. Every once in a while the people here have a holiday on some astronomical event or another and us gods get new skins on that day. It’s tradition that the twins in our family, Ford and I, Mabel and Dipper, the original oldies, etcetera, go on to inhabit twins too, but it seems like Dipper’s ditched his old body early and he’s gone off to find one on his own.” Stan side-eyed Bill, who was giving the old man a slightly horrified look as he put the pieces together.

“…One like mine?” Bill asked hesitantly.

“Maybe. Seems like he hasn’t decided, if he hasn’t told you yet. Mabel’s freaking out because they usually make the decision together. If he decides he likes your skin the most, then she’s left to do the ceremony all on her own.” He sighed. “It’s old news to me, but not to her. We get a little older every time we do it, take another step forward to the end. I can understand not wanting to be alone doing that while they’re still so young… I can also understand that it might sting a bit, being put in a body that’s not a sister to Dipper’s.” Bill looked down with his lips pressed tightly together.

“Your niece and nephew are kind of assholes, aren’t they?” Cipher asked wryly. Stan cast Bill a dangerous glare.

“Watch it, Cipher. No matter what you say, that’s my family.” Bill gulped, eyes darting forward. His brow creased when he processed what he saw.

“We’re heading out of town?”

“Nice topic change, kid.”

“We’re not going to that old mine again, are we?” Stan grinned.

“We are! It’s a very convenient location, wouldn’t you say?” Bill shook his head with a scoff.

“For you. Your family is very fond of that place, aren’t they?” Stan laughed and gestured his onyx cane in the general direction of the unseen mine.

“Well, I am. Lots of people used to pray to me there, so it’s personally a bit nostalgic. But it’s your popularity that’s to blame, the twins were only ever there because they knew you would be, and _we’re_ only going there because it’s familiar to you.” Bill shot Stan a skeptical look, but otherwise had no comment.

To fill the silence of their walk and to further suppress/delay the emotional consequences of a revelation that a god might body-snatch him, Bill searched for a question to ask, a conversation fit for a god.

“What’s your family name?” Stan glanced Bill’s way as they crossed the fence.

“What do you mean, kid?”

“I only know your first names, and no-one’s ever referred to you in a general way. Just wondering.” Understanding dawned.

“Oh, you want a last name! We all have silly mortal shorthand for our names, and you want to know if anything else seems so normal, huh?” Bill looked away.

“Just a question.” He muttered.

“It’s _Pines.”_ Stan informed casually. That gave Bill pause.

“Really? That’s it?” Stan grimaced.

“The word is some long-winded offshoot of “evergreen,” meaning “never-changing, resilient, everpresent,” yada yada. Really, if the twins can pull “Dipper and Mabel” out of _their_ given mouthfuls, I can pull “Pines” out of ours.” Stan gestured dismissively at the trees, as if to wipe away Bill’s urge to find out what exactly that “long-winded offshoot” was. “More of a title than anything, but hey, whatever works. So now that we’re here…” They entered the clearing. Something looked different, but Stan stepped in front of Bill and blocked his line of sight before he could pinpoint exactly what.  “I was told you have no place to stay.” Bill narrowed his eyes.

“I’m staying at the church.” Stan shook his head.

“Not good enough.”

“I thought you’d want to keep an eye on me? What’s wrong with the church?”

“What’s wrong is that no nephew of mine is going to be stuck inside a situation like yours. The church is not our home, our home is where our people are.” Stan gestured behind him. “This is where my people used to be, and now you are Dipper’s people… well, his person. It works.” Bill crossed his arms.

“I’m no-one’s _person.”_ He hissed. Stan just smirked in response.

“You are, don’t worry. But this is getting off topic.” Stan stepped to the side and pointed to the cabins with his cane.

“You’ll be staying there.” Bill finally trained his gaze onto the cabins, only for his eyes to widen.

“What the…” He muttered, taking some steps towards them. One in particular looked brand new, standing out stark against the other rotting buildings. “How?”

“I’m a god of wealth, Cipher. I can grant you whatever materials you might need.” Bill turned around with an opportunistic glint in his eye that made Stan laugh. “Just because I can doesn’t mean I will, though. Go ahead, get inside. Sleep a little. Visit my nephew, we can meet later.”  Bill’s face fell, but not into hostility so much as suspicious anticipation.

“What do you want me to do?” Stan sighed and rubbed the back of his neck.

“I’m not as naïve as Mabel, I know I’m not going to get him to come back. Not now. Just tell him… tell him to wait. Not to jump into this. He’s not like his sister, he doesn’t make hot-headed decisions, but even the greatest minds can be illogical when they’re overwhelmed.” Bill gave a hesitant nod.

“… Ok? I can try.” He stated uncertainly. Stan sighed with relief.

“Thank you, Bill. Good luck.” Cipher’s confusion and apprehension washed away into a snarky smirk.

“Is that well-wishing or a blessing?” Stan chuckled.

“Go find out, kid. He’s probably waiting for you.” The old god turned his back on Bill and walked back down the path. “See you later!” Bill waved at Stan’s back. It was refreshing to meet a god who didn’t charge in and depart full force with mysterious antics… or maybe he was just getting used to it.

Bill turned back towards his new-old cabin and jogged forward, finding himself paradoxically eager and afraid to fall asleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi! I'm back with an unbeta'd, barely proofread chapter with yet more talking and exposition! Next chapter Bill does more than walk and talk, I promise!  
> If there's a continuity issue, you wanna tell me something, you think there's something I should add, or you just liked reading so far, drop a comment as you're driving by! It'd be so wonderful to hear from you!


	6. Chapter 6

The interior of the cabin was lush, but not overdoing it, like a rich person who wanted to go _all out gaudy_ but limited themselves to the smallest budget they could tolerate. Thick rugs covered dark, shining hardwood, and the heads of fake-looking fantastical creatures were hung on the paneled wood walls. A fireplace with a column of bricks exposing the chimney stood in front of a nice bed that looked like something you’d sink into and never be able to crawl out of. All of it was colored shades of tan or deep red.

After that cursory glance around, Bill knelt in front of the fireplace and picked up the flint box there. He still hadn’t gotten used to the cold, so he halfway-successfully lit a steady fire with what he remembered from a childhood lesson or two and closed the thin chainmail curtain. He guessed it was to keep the sparks in.

Bill was struck with the temptation to check out the back corner to see what kind of food Stan provided, which had what looked like a small stove, a pantry, and an icebox, but then was deterred with the thought _you should get to sleep before another god shows up and makes you a messenger boy again._

With a heavy sigh and a grimace, Cipher shed his robe and undershirt, kicked off his boots, and tossed aside the plush comforter so he could burrow into the mattress and pull the blankets up around his ears. The sheets, soft cotton that tucked up against him without sticking to his clothes, took some time to warm up, but in due time the heat of the fire washed over him. The embrace of the bed sunk Cipher deeper and deeper, and in no time at all Bill’s eyes drooped shut.

Bill suddenly felt alert and mildly irritated that sleeping was rendered null if he never got to experience it. He sat up and tossed the covers aside, surprised to find himself staring at Dipper’s back. The young god sat cross-legged, silently staring into the hearth. Bill’s own gaze flicked back and forth from the way Dipper’s locks soaked up the firelight to the fire itself, propping up his chin in his palm. Well into a long, comfortable silence, Bill quietly said,

“Thank you.” When Dipper sent an inquisitive glance over his shoulder, he added with a smile, “For not sneaking up on me.” Dipper smiled back.

“Well, as fun as it is, I figured you were getting tired of the theatrics. I’ll have to find my entertainment somewhere else.” Dipper admitted. Bill smirked and crawled off the bed to join Dipper, staring into the heat on a warm stone stage.

“Is this really how we’re going to spend our dream?” Bill joked. “Staring at a fire?” Out of the corner of Bill’s eye, he saw Dipper grin.

“Dreams can last seconds or years. We can stay here as long as it takes, Bill.” Dipper stated. Bill pressed his lips together. The wish to present a challenge hung in the air, but Dipper wasn’t quite dumb enough to add on “but you’re not stubborn enough for that.” Cipher found himself disappointed and relieved.

 _How should I put this?_ Bill wondered. _How could I possibly lead into something like I just found out?_

“Your Grunckle Stan tells me that you’re hanging out in my head because you want to wear my skin.” Bill burst, then grimaced and looked away. Dipper gave a little awkward, nervous laugh.

“Wow, Bill. Uh…” Dipper hummed. “That’s one way to put it, I suppose. But it’s a bit more complicated than that…” Dipper began, then was cut off by a long, exasperated groan as Bill rolled his eyes back.

“For the love of whatever’s holy anymore, please don’t explain every detail of the universe to me _again._ ” Bill whined. Dipper sent him a confused look.

“But I haven’t…?”

“Your family has collectively poured more spoken information into my head in the past few days than I can handle. For fuck’s sake, we’re in a dream! We can do anything, and you insist on walking and talking!” Bill finally looked Dipper in the eye with an imploring expression, who flushed and glared. It didn’t translate well through his babyface, more like an irritated pout than what the god was probably trying for.

“I’m a god of _curiosity,_ not _creativity!_ That’s Mom, not… me...” Dipper trailed off sheepishly and looked back at the flames. “Yeah, it is bullshit, isn’t it?” He muttered. Bill laughed and patted Dipper’s shoulder.

“It’s not that big a deal, Dipper. I was just exaggerating.” Bill soothed, but Dipper shook his head.

“No. You know what? I know a place. Come on.” Dipper grabbed Bill’s hand and stood up. Cipher laughed nervously.

“Your dramatic flair is showing again, where are you-“ Bill felt his breath catch in his throat when Dipper dragged him to the door, swung it open, and pulled Cipher into a gigantic library. The marble floors had inscriptions on the pathways like stories to read as you walked and mismatched shelves, some made like wine cellar diamonds to hold scrolls, others had glass-front drawers to carry shells, glass orbs, vials, and other things he’d never seen before. Framed paintings were stored like books to be pulled out and studied. Far, far above, the ceiling was painted with images too small for him to see, so distantly he could only make out the smoke-like swirl of colors their scene created.

“You should meet my other grunckle, Ford.” Dipper muttered. “He’d know a good way to explain this mess.” Bill narrowed his eyes in concentration.

“Stafornleesomething? What’s he of again?” Bill asked, but Dipper was already walking away.

“Stay right there! I’m going to go find him!” He called over his shoulder. Bill huffed and watched him go with a frown.

_I am possessed by a god and having a lucid dream, yet all I can do is sit and wait like a good little dog._

Bill spent all of ten seconds being bored and annoyed before he turned to the various shelves and drawers to start rummaging around. He opened one drawer and pulled out the contents, a wooden chest laid on top of a medical journal. The cover was in a language he’d never read, but the illustrations inside showcased the symptoms of some sore-riddled disease in grotesque detail. The box held two vials, one of something pale, clear yellow, one black, both alongside an empty syringe. He put all of them back, a little disquieted, and quickly turned to the next drawer. He meant to go explore, but all the interesting stuff was so condensed, it might take years for him to work through everything.

He pulled a conch the size of a fist from a nest of red velvet. With a smirk, he caved into a childish temptation and held it up to his ear.

There was curiously no sound, no waves, but right as he was about to put it down, Cipher heard approaching whispers. He strained to hear them, to understand them, his hand tightening around the shell in mounting anticipation at their increased clarity. A voice came forward from the choir of murmurs and whispered in his ear, so close he could almost feel the phantom breath on his skin.

“G _ive me your name.”_

Bill flinched the shell away from his ear when a hand lay on his shoulder. He looked up to see an old man with sharp, knowing eyes peering down on him with a raised brow.

“I’d be careful, that’s one of my more selfish artifacts. Whatever you give, it won’t give back.” He advised carefully. Bill gulped and carefully set the shell back in the drawer.

“You’re the other Staff… Forn. Stan’s brother.” Bill quested, slowly sliding the drawer closed. The Stafforn grinned.

“Stafornliod, but my family calls me Ford. Let’s go with that, shall we?” The elder god held out his hand to shake. “And you must be Cipher. Dipper’s said a lot about you.” Bill took the offered hand with an uncertain smile.

“All good things, right?” He asked, glancing behind Ford to behold Dipper with hands folded in front of his navel, back straight.  Ford shrugged.

“Some good, some bad, some I’m not allowed to say. But before we do anything, there’s something I’d like to ask of you.” Ford sent Bill a good natured smile, but it struck him as the same one you might give to a child. Bill’s guard instantly went up and he withdrew his hand.

“Depends.” Bill muttered with a squint. “What do you need?” Ford chuckled.

“Well, this is the hall of stories!” Ford announced proudly, gesturing to the ground. “Each stone contains a voice, each one paved with their tale. I ask all my guests to find one which is empty and speak into it. The more people add to it, the bigger it can grow.” Bill raised an eyebrow and took a step back to take a closer look at the stones.

“… Like a guestbook.” Bill stated without looking up.

“A bit like a guestbook, yes. Try it.” Ford pointed to an empty spot by his foot that laid empty, and the only way to be somewhat level to it without shouting at the floor was to kneel before Stafornliod. Bill grimaced and tossed Ford the stink eye as he stepped to stand beside him, then turned and knelt down facing Dipper. Still keeping eye-contact with a confused, expectant young god, he thought about a story to tell but came up short. The silence stretched on as Bill rifled through his memory for something, anything. It didn’t help that he was trying to think of something worthy of a god’s library.

After an awkward amount of time, something popped into mind that _technically_ counted as a story. Still staring Dipper in the eye, Bill spoke in a light tone and a straight face,

“ _There once was a woman from Pru_

_who filled her vagina with glue._

_She said with a grin, “if they pay to get in,_

_They’ll pay to get out it too!”_

Bill finally let a slow grin spread across his face, which only grew wider when Dipper blushed and covered his mouth to keep from snickering. Bill stood and glanced over Ford’s way, who was giving Bill a look that reminded him of a parent trying to look scolding instead of amused.

“Well… this is a very human place. I can’t very well only possess stories of the good facets of humanity.” Ford sighed. Bill snickered and crossed his arms.

“Aw, Ford, that stings. Who ever said a sense of humor was a bad thing to have?” Cipher purred. Ford almost replied, but Dipper put a hand on Bill’s shoulder and interrupted.

“Grunkle Ford, please. Could you skip it and help us?” Dipper fixed Ford with a pleading, exasperated look. Ford grunted, but shrugged with one shoulder.

“I suppose. What did you need?” Dipper grinned.

“Do you still have your old hosts’ stories?” He asked. Ford looked surprised for a moment, but then got a read on the situation and crossed his arms.

“I think so. Which one would you like?” He was already turned and walking down the hall, gesturing for Bill and Dipper to follow.

“Whichever one reassures Bill that I’m not trying to body-snatch him.” Dipper stated resolutely. Stan barked out a laugh.

“Oh, I’ll see what I can do.”

===

Bill was dropped off at a shelf of knick-knacks, like the kind you might see a hoarder place on their bookshelves. A smooth quartz stone, a wooden figurine of a dog, an old pair of wire-rim glasses. Cipher checked over his shoulder to make sure both Pines were gone before running his fingers over the shelf’s surface, looking over a ruby rosebud, a golden beetle with blue mother of pearl wings, and a silver opal pendant. A moment of itchy fingers struck him, but he shook his head. He wasn’t really a common theif, and he figured the god of knowledge would know if he took something like this. The rest of the library was just a collection, but these… these seemed personal.

Cipher pulled himself away from the trinkets and looked for something else. It took a while, but he settled on a rounded glass paperweight, green with cheap making and trapping the small acorn that floated inside. It fit like a pleasant weight in his palm. Suddenly, a voice rang softly between Bill’s ears.

_Hello._

Bill jumped and looked around, only to find no-one.

_No, it’s fine, I’m here._

Slowly, Cipher’s gaze settled on the object in his hands.

“You?” Bill asked uncertainly. A feeling of amusement, not his own, rippled through him.

_Yes and no. This represents me. Ford certainly associated this object with me, at least… but it just talks like I would. I don’t really exist anymore, but it speaks like I used to._

Bill sank into a cross-legged position, back to the shelves and holding the paperweight in his lap.

“Why?”

_So Ford will never forget us. So I can tell him who I used to be, what we used to do._

“Your story.” Bill muttered.

_In a sense, yes._

“Will you tell me yours?”

_It’s my only purpose._

Bill tilted his head back until it rested against the ridge of the shelf. The voice of the paperweight was calm, kind, and low. Fatherly. Nostalgia struck through Cipher cruelly at the thought, memories of his father’s stories rumbling through the night air and lulling Bill to sleep.

_My name is Kikolo, I met Ford when I was 16…_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh hi there! Short chapter, but I figured you'd waited long enough. I'm kinda pushing through some writer's block.  
> Tell me what you think! I'd love to hear from you, it makes me so excited when I see someone's commented on this!


	7. Chapter 7

Bill let himself melt into the story so he could visualize it the best he could. Kikolo wasn’t much for descriptive words or adjectives, so Bill had to make do with the straightforward storytelling.

And in his head, the imaginary 16 year old man who matched the Kikolo’s voice was tall and dark with soft, intelligent eyes. Bill wasn’t much for filling in the blanks, either.

_I met Ford when I was 16. In my village, there were some who were trained to carry all our stories, lessons, and legends. All our knowledge was contained in this small group, two of each for every respect. One of the apprentices had died of some illness and I happened to fit in his place. I was very smart, but I had a horrible memory. Unsurprisingly, this made for a poor storyteller._

_So just when I thought the group would push me aside for some other, a stranger stepped out from the pines while I was alone, and started to talk with me. As we spoke, I grew incredibly excited as our minds and topics slotted together so neatly. Every story I’d ever been taught started pouring out of me, bad memory be damned. Yet as our conversation grew more heated, I could tell he was testing me._

Bill tried to imagine what Ford would have looked like in that life, but came up short. Then the image was replaced with Dipper when he and Bill were first talking in that market, leaning up against the wall with crossed arms and giving Bill that fond “please, keep talking” smile… at least, before Bill asked about family and it fell away. This seemed even harder to banish.

_So at the moment I realized, I asked_

_“What are you testing me for?” I expected him to swerve and deny, yet he just smiled and said,_

_“To see if I’d like to have you with me. I’m looking for someone.” I just laughed and objected,_

_“You won’t find it here. I can’t be a travel companion, and I’m hardly away from my studies enough to be a good friend.”_

_“Well, of course I will, I already have.” Ford replied. He got a look on his face like he’d found a long-lost-treasure (I’ll never forget that at least, it was unnerving at the time to see a near complete stranger look at me so greedily,) and he said, “You have a twin, don’t you? My brother’s talking to him now.” Of course, knowing almost every story our culture had to offer and the holy day being so soon, at that moment I was stuck between terror, reverence, and excitement. Despite that, it didn’t take long for Ford to convince me, especially not when I met my brother at home telling an almost identical story about Stan._

_I don’t like to talk of what Ford and I did as we waited for the holy day to arrive. In the moment, I wasn’t sure two beings could be any closer or more intimate than we were. Yet the day arrived. I honestly thought it would hurt, yet it was like blinking and seeing the corpse of an old man at my feet, just an abandoned mortal husk. I thought in that moment, “That will be me,” and found my mind being shoved out of my own body. I couldn’t feel or do anything, only… think._

_Ford never mentioned me when he met new people. I felt so alone, in some lower moments I looked back on those early days and saw them as manipulative and cruel._

_Yet I still cared for Ford. He took my old role for a while and taught my village architecture, agriculture, and some sciences while Stan would send comments my way and taught everyone the methods of trade and “disaster avoidance” in my brother’s guise. Ford and I still met and traded words in his library, but it killed me to learn so much and be unable to tell anyone about it._

_I left Ford when my village had grown into a shining small town. My youngest niece from my little sister had long since died and left no other relative to watch over, and I felt that was far too much time for a human soul to stick around and uselessly watch the world go by._

_Ford said he’d be lonely if I left, but I just told him,_

_“You’ll overcome that fairly quickly.”_

_Before I went, he begged me to make this. Taught me how. Said that if I just left him this one story to speak with, he’d let me go peacefully._

_And so, I finally went._

Bill slowly opened his eyes and felt his hands shaking. Kikolo asked something in a concerned tone, but Bill just clattered the stone back into place. His hands still folded over the stone, he whispered,

“I thought he was a god of wisdom. Why would he do that to you?”

_It was a long time ago and gods inhabit bodies that match their spiritual age. 16 isn’t a very wise age to be, friend._

“So just knowledge back then, huh? No wisdom?” Bill joked dryly. Light laughter rippled from the stone.

_No, I don’t think so._

A moment of silence. A very pale Bill stared at his folded hands.

 _I doubt I would still hold a grudge if I were alive today. I didn’t hate him for long._ Kikolo whispered. _Just the feeling of being so powerless and voiceless._

Bill jerked his hands away.

“Dipper wouldn’t do that.” He muttered, and reached for the beetle to get a different story.

The beetle chirped a fast-paced tale about a man named Fiddle, not giving any time to ruminate in pity or fear before intrigue swept in.

 _I was 20 at the time, and my best friend was the intended host. We talked while he worked on getting my friend to sway, but a panicked Ford isn’t a persuasive Ford, it turns out. You see, Stan picked someone else than the original twins two weeks before the holy day. Ford went scrambling for someone better when he saw the opportunity and realized he’d been getting along with_ me _pretty well during the process!_

_He was a very good friend of mine! But I decided I had a little more life to live on my own. Kind of makes me an asshole, he’d already inhabited me and gods just aren’t used to having empty heads while they’re getting used to their new clothes, you know? He taught me a technique that isolates the soul from the body without obliterating it or sending it to the land beyond, so I actually ended up living two lives! He helped me start out a new life, asked for a quick story from me, and I got sent out on my way. I actually don’t know where “I” am right now. I might be dead, might not. Who knows. A transfer like that can’t be good for someone. Someone human, that is. I hope he’s dead, in a good way._

Bill chuckled. “How kind of you.” He said dryly, running a thumb along the edge of a wing.

_Well, I do! I hope he’s up there in heaven having fun with my old friend. If my second life didn’t work out, I pray he left it there instead of trying to get back to a life long gone. But some people just aren’t capable of giving up on those kinds of things, especially not when they see the opportunity._

Bill paused.

“So hosts can just… leave?”

_In a sense, if we kick up enough fuss and only if they know the things Ford knows. The ritual’s dangerous, so you really have to be sure you don’t want to experience life through a god’s eyes._

Bill didn’t take that last bit so seriously, it was said in such a mocking tone.

“Dangerous like…?”

_Well, like I said earlier. Hop out of your body too early and you might go to heaven instead, like most hosts do when they’ve decided they’ve been around long enough… or you just cease to exist._

“I always thought that happened anyway.” Bill muttered.

_Heaven?_

“Sure.” Bill snorted, putting the beetle away.

_Did I help?_

“Some, yeah. Thank you.” Bill didn’t give Fiddle room to reply; he just took his hand off the beetle and moved onto the next trinket.

 

When Dipper finally came to check on Bill, the human had moved on to read the many paving stones one by one, meandering slowly through Ford’s labyrinth. Though Bill made no indication he noticed Dipper, the young god still made sure to announce his presence with loud footsteps.

“So you finished with the stories?” Dipper asked quietly. Bill nodded without looking up. He’d stopped at a slab the size of a gravestone. The silence made Dipper squirm a little, so he got closer.

“What’s that story?” He asked. Still without looking up, Bill began to read.

“Once there was a merchant and an adventurer who met on a road. The merchant claimed to have a sword that could cut through anything and a shield that could not be broken. The adventurer said the two couldn’t possibly exist at once, and asked if he could test them, so the merchant handed the two over. The adventurer broke his old reliable equipment with the new, and once proven, the merchant demanded that the adventurer pay for his wares. But the adventurer just said, “Why should I pay you anything, now that I have an unstoppable sword and an unbreakable shield?”

Bill finally looked up to find Dipper smiling softly.

“That story fits you.” Dipper stated. Bill cocked an eyebrow.

“Do I strike you as a bandit?” He did love to make Dipper squirm.

“N-no. But you do seem the type to flash a pretty smile and ask a merchant if you could “test his wares with your own hands.” Dipper answered with a nervous little smirk.

“Fair.” Bill muttered, rolling his eyes.

“So I’m curious, which would you rather be?”

“Huh?”

“The sword or the shield.” Dipper clarified. Bill crossed his arms and faced Dipper fully.

“A master of swerving away from the present issue as always, Dipper.” Bill stated dryly. Dipper averted his eyes and bit his lip.

“I’m sorry, Bill.” Cipher squinted at Dipper and stepped in closer to the other.

“Why?” Dipper slapped his forehead.

“Oh dear, this is a mess.” The young god muttered, and peaked at Bill through his fingers. “I meant about what the stories told you. We usually don’t give full disclosure on what being a host is like for this reason.” They both looked away. “When I was a child, I was advised to ask the forgiveness rather than the permission of my hosts. Now I know why.” Dipper admitted quietly. Bill snorted.

“Sorry to be such an inconvenience.” He snarled. Dipper gave a defeated sigh.

“You aren’t. I just have to go back to Mabel and admit I was wrong. We still have time.”

“Enough time to dupe someone else?” Bill pressed. Dipper didn’t answer for a while, instead gravitating to the nearest shelf and running his fingers over the spines.

“I mean…” He muttered, then stopped himself. “You never answered my question.” Dipper stated lamely.

“This conversation’s getting kind of muddled, Pines. Which one?” Cipher stepped in next to Dipper, who squinted at Bill confusedly.

“… The sword one. Where’d you get that name?”

“Stan told me that you’re all a bunch of metaphorical pine trees. And if we really have to avoid the topic… I’d choose to be an unstoppable force. Nothing could hold me back or contain me. You?” Bill admitted. Some of the tension melted off Dipper once Bill finally stopped pressing.

“I’d be the opposite. Even an unstoppable force would have to move around me. I could never be controlled or directed.”

“But then you’d be trapping yourself.”

“Whether there’re bars around me or open air, I’ll still be just as free. You’d never be settled, and it’d be easy to direct you wherever people want you just by putting obstacles in your path. _You_ may not be stoppable, but you can easily be slowed down or misdirected.” Dipper warned.

“You’d rather trap yourself just so people can’t trick you?” Bill asked incredulously. Dipper nodded with a little smile.

“I will _always_ be where I am, doing what I do. If people could guide me into doing what they want just by saying I need to, I would be no better than a fish “unstoppably” swimming into a net.” Dipper sounded so resigned, Bill looked down at their folded hands with a furrowed brow.

“I’d like to think I’m a little less gullible than that.” He murmured. Dipper laughed.

“Ah yes, Bill Cipher. The man who could not be fooled.” Bill smiled along obligingly.

“I still think this is one big coma dream.” He mused playfully, even though his mind was whirring with a thousand arguments and ideas.

_I will not be controlled. I will not be tricked. If this is the opportunity of a million lifetimes, then damn me if I don’t exploit it._

He looked up at Dipper, who sent back an inquisitive expression.

_Dream or no._

“What are you thinking?” The god asked. Bill swallowed hard and smiled sweetly.

“Can I come to this library without you showing me the way?” He asked innocently. Dipper nodded.

“This place exists in the Mindscape. Just knowing about it and visiting is your ticket in.” Bill’s smile widened to a grin.

“That’s perfect, Pinetree. Thank you."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Seeing as there is no southern USA in this world, it was a little hard to find a way to make McGucket sound like a hillbilly without making him actually sound like a hillbilly.  
> I am not proud of this chapter. Very unbetaed. Much wow.   
> Yet still, enjoy the product of a sudden, MASSIVE disappearance in writer's block! If you liked it, then please tell me what you think! It makes me so happy when I see someone's commented!


	8. Chapter 8

Though their last interaction had ended amicably, Bill only had to be given a day to reflect on the thought of what Dipper had been planning, then studiously ignored the god thereafter. The passive-aggressive ordeal lasted exactly 3 days of Bill going to sleep, giving Dipper a cursory greeting, and then heading straight to the library. On the 3rd night, Dipper finally grabbed Cipher by the arm to keep him from going out the door with a hurried, “Wait.”

Bill posed himself to snap at Dipper, but pushed it down in favor of sending the other a disdainful expression.

“What do you wish?” Bill said evenly and tensely. Inwardly he balked at himself with an emotion that can only be described as “oh my god I’m turning into my parents,” considering that was something his mother only said to his father when she was especially mad. Even Dipper seemed put off by the odd phrase.

“I, uh…” It took a moment for Dipper to regain his footing before the confidence that led him there steeled his expression. “You can’t stay mad at me for something I didn’t do.” Dipper replied. Bill smiled dryly and yanked his arm out of Dipper’s grasp.

“Are you leading up to asking permission, or are you demanding forgiveness? If it’s the latter, that’s a backwards way of going about it.”

“Neither, actually. I-“ Dipper stopped himself and pinched the bridge of his nose when he saw Bill’s eyebrows shoot up. “Oh dear, this isn’t going well. What I meant was that I wanted to put it behind us and forget about it, though that sounds bad too, doesn’t it?” The corner of Bill’s mouth involuntarily twitched up as he nodded. Dipper continued frantically. “That wasn’t what this is about! Well, I suppose it is in a roundabout way, but-“

“Constellation.” Bill held up a hand to stop him. As much as he enjoyed watched Dipper squirm, he was genuinely curious what the god had to say. “Summaries. What was the sentence you had planned when you grabbed me?” Dipper pressed his lips together, then let out a breath through his nose.

“Mabel contacted me indirectly and wants to meet us in person, so we may discuss what we should do about our present lack of hosts. You being my current, if not temporary, host, we would need your help and it would be beneficial if you came with.” He explained slowly, carefully. Bill hummed pensively.

“Life’s easier when we use our words, isn’t it Pinetree?” Bill asked patronizingly. Dipper’s expression soured.

“With you, it seems my problem is I use too many words.” Dipper huffed and crossed his arms. Bill’s smile was genuine this time.

“As much as I hate to say it, I like it when you ramble. You’re very genuine that way... It’s cute.” Dipper seemed like he was about to remark on that last comment, but Bill moved on and cut him off before he could. “So where are we meeting your sister?” Dipper lingered only briefly before answering.

“The only place in the mindscape all of us know.”

~~~

Of course it was Mabel who found out where the chairs and cushions were in a library of infinite knowledge, a giant nest of pillows and chairs surrounding a low-set round table, all ringed by half-empty shelves. The theme seemed to be marble floors, dark wood, and blue velvet, though this was the first scrap of cloth he’d seen in here outside of a drawer. Honestly, Bill had no clue how she did it. He spent most of his dreams here, but never caught sight of any place like this.

Mabel had already arrived by the time the two of them got there, and sprung up to hug Dipper in a startling blur as soon as they walked in.

“Bro! I never thought I’d see you as you again!” She cheered, then sent Bill a cryptic wink.  Bill winked back. Mabel giggled and turned her attention back to her brother, moving her hands to rest on his shoulders. “So what have you been up to while I was gone?” She chirped. Dipper laughed nervously.

“Bill found out the details about our situation and he’s decided to abandon ship.” Dipper admitted. Mabel’s expression fell as she cooed.

“Aw. You sure Bill?” She turned to the human with an imploring look. Bill smiled uncomfortably.

“Heh. No.” He shrugged and turned to the shelves of books behind him. He was interested in seeing what people had discussed and saved here in the past. Now out of sight, he heard Mabel mutter confusedly,

“No you’re not sure, or no you don’t want to…?” She trailed off, but Dipper redirected her.

“Look, he’s as stubborn as us _and_ mad with me, I wouldn’t expect a straight answer right now. You wanted to talk?” After a long look at Bill’s turned back, Mabel finally directed herself to the problem at hand.

“Yeah. I would say that our problem just turned simple now that Bill’s privy to all this, but I’m afraid that isn’t how this turned out. The twins we were looking at? They got sick.” Bill spared a glance over his shoulder, but then decided it wasn’t his business who Dipper eyed and which strangers were ill.

“How sick?”

“Sick enough that when I asked Great uncle Ford for a cure, he said that the vaccine wouldn’t be invented for a while yet. It’s a nasty virus, so we can’t pull any cure-alls or treatments out of thin air without spurring technology along unnaturally.” Bill, keeping an ear out, felt his stomach sink as he listened. He’d learned exactly what viruses were not too long ago, having revisited the path that his initial run-in with the medical journal had presented. He wasn’t keen on the fact that he’d arrived in this country almost exactly as soon as a plague started budding.

“What if…” Bill began. Both the twins turned towards him, which inspired enough confidence to continue. “What if you just needed an obscure way to spin it? I’ve played miracle man before. I know how to be the mysterious stranger who shows up, pulls a placebo out, and gets lost before people can ask what’s in them.” Bill offered. Mabel looked tempted, but Dipper seemed hesitant.

“This is a little heavier than a benign miracle-in-a-jar, Bill. I don’t know…” Bill turned around fully and held out his hands in a placating gesture.

“No, no, it’ll be fine. The most unconvincing part of my act was the fact that my “cure” was just tea or a useless balm. Give me something that actually works, and I swear that I can pull it off!” Mabel scrutinized Bill with a heavy, hopeful expression.

“You’re sure?” She asked firmly. Bill grinned and nodded.

“Of course! I don’t want a plague breaking out in the place I’m hiding out in, do I?” He offered, stepping towards the two. Dipper looked to Mabel with a concerned pinch to his face.

“Do you have time left? I’ve lost track of the holyday.” Dipper admitted uneasily. Mabel let a slow smile spread across her face.

“We have a full month, Bro. Don’t worry. The question is, can Bill keep them alive long enough? A god ‘stepping in’ will definitely save them, but not if they’re so feverish their minds can’t receive.” Mabel raised an eyebrow at Cipher, who turned pensive.

“Well, I know the basics of how a vaccine is made, but I’d have to do more reading to find out how to make a vaccine myself. I’d have to figure out—oh,what’s the word?-- _Antiviral_ treatments too. Ford would have the materials for researching and making that, wouldn’t he?” Dipper scratched a hand through his hair and looked down.

“He’d have the instructions, but Great Uncle Ford doesn’t deal in material-“

“Wealth!” Mabel interrupted, and grabbed Dipper by the arm. “Dipper, Grunckle Stan could give Bill the goods!” This was one thing Dipper actually didn’t seem hesitant about.

“That could work.” He conceded. Bill stepped in again so he could hammer in another nail.

“Really, I’m absolutely sure I can pull this off. I’m a fast learner, and with enough materials and instructions I absolutely bet I can make it in time.” Bill wasn't sure what in his words triggered it, but something crossed over Mabel’s face and the twins exchanged a look.

“Would the Ciang family be less wary of a helpful stranger, or Liem’s new girlfriend suddenly showing up with a cure as soon as they get sick?” Dipper asked. Mabel’s face fell into a pout.

“I guess it is a little suspicious, huh?” She lamented. Bill tilted his head to the side.

“Wouldn’t that be better? They trust you, don’t they?” He asked nervously. Mabel groaned and absentmindedly fiddled with the tail of her belt.

“Ah… no. There’s an old form of entrapment called “kilaski” that’s especially rampant these days. It’s where you force someone into a serious relationship or commitment by pushing them into a life debt.” Mabel explained sheepishly. “This would look a lot like that if I did it.”

“The idea is to make yourself look better than you are, or create a false sense of obligation to the abuser.” Dipper explained further. “They’re an influential family, so they’ve had an eye out for a trick like that from the start of our… endeavor.” Bill’s face pinched into distaste.

“Kilaski is saving someone from a problem you created?” He clarified. Mabel nodded.

“Exactly.” His expression soured further, turning Mabel’s into concern. “…You’re familiar with it?” Bill laughed humorlessly and stepped towards the exit of the sitting area with a book under his arm.

“Yeah.” He admitted dryly. “In Tayfen it’s called ‘rosewalling.’” He made a dismissive gesture. “I’ll be back. Gonna go look.”

Mabel and Dipper exchanged a troubled look, but she just shrugged and sighed.

“I should go too. Sorry I can’t be more help… I didn’t even really offer much info, huh?” She lamented. Dipper shook his head vigorously.

“No, no. I was… I’m glad to see you.” He patted Mabel’s shoulder awkwardly. She laughed.

“I’m glad to see you too, bro. I was worried the transfer out didn’t go well, you were so…” She trailed off into a dark tone, only to start herself back up brightly. “But you seem fine to me! I’m just surprised you went for _him_.” She admitted with a mischievous smile. Dipper puffed up his chest and narrowed his eyes.

“What do you mean?” He said in an accusatory tone. She grinned and looked to the way Bill had exited through.

“Well, it’s not that he isn’t local, isn’t a follower, doesn’t listen to anything you say, has a shady past, and seems to have an insatiable thirst for knowledge, power, and wealth from what the Grunkles have told me…” She said breezily. Dipper cringed inwardly at several admittedly good points. “But he’s a little _smaller_ than your average fare, Dipper. Is this a new taste, or were you looking to see the world from a different perspective?” She teased. “Or is it the high, nasal voice that got you?” Dipper threw his hands up and walked away.

“I take it back. I take it all back.” He declared. Mabel just grinned wider and followed him, narrowly avoiding tripping over several cushions on the way.

“You sure? I mean, I can understand wanting to have those big amber eyes, but do you really want to _have_ them?” Dipper whirled around and poked her in the chest.

“Just wait. You take the twin, but I’m gonna woo him _just to spite you.”_ He hissed.

“Woo who?” Bill asked. Dipper turned bright red and turned to see Bill standing there with several books in his hands and some floating around his head. Bill rolled his eyes at his own unintentional pun. “I mean… who are we wooing?”

“The Ciang twin.” Dipper answered a little too quickly. Bill narrowed his eyes at the fleeting gesture of Dipper whacking his sister’s arms just as she was opening her mouth to add something more. “Mabel doesn’t think I actually can. I’m proving her wrong.” Mabel’s smile turned into a thinly veiled cringe just as Bill felt something in his chest close at that line.

“Ah.” Bill offered tersely. As the human walked over to the table, Mabel plucked a book out from the air above Bill’s head.

“How are you doing that…?” She asked. Bill was grateful for the distraction and sent her a grin.

“I _am_ dreaming rather lucidly. I can make myself fly, too, it’s useful for reaching high shelves.” Mabel’s eyes glittered with humor as Dipper groaned in the background. Bill frowned. “What?”

“Nothing.” Mabel soothed. “It’s just rare for any human we bring in to get so well acquainted with the library so quickly. I bet it’ll expand to you in no time!” She chirped, clasping her hands together. Bill tilted his head to the side.

“Expand…?” He prodded. Mabel winked.

“Oh, you’ll see soon enough.” She took a large step back from the both of them. “Well… Dipper, I love you bro, but I’d just get in your way if I stuck around.” She lamented. “I’m not so good at this department.” Dipper looked up from one of the books he’d taken from Bill’s pile with wide eyes.

“Now?”

“Yeah, now that you're all set up. I’ll check in with you tomorrow, ok?” She smiled reassuringly. Dipper waved half-heartedly.

“See you then, sis.” He answered lamely. Her smile grew, followed by winking out of existence. A moment of silence later, Dipper turned to Bill to say something. However, without looking up from the book, the human wordlessly placed a finger to his own lips in a single fluid motion. The god smiled softly at the silent reprimand and picked back up his book. Bill had curled up in a pile of pillows, shoes absent, feet tucked out of sight, and leather-bound journal balanced on his knees. Dipper had no clue how he could get comfortable with a book that quickly, but with some maneuvering it was easy to follow suit. Eventually they settled into an easy existence of silence, only broken by pages turning and steady breathing.

It couldn’t last forever, though.

Dipper had stood up to get another book when something occurred to Bill, and, never one to let something like ‘keeping the peace’ get in his way, he had to ask.

“Hey, Pinetree.”

“Yeah?”

“Your Grunkle said that gods can… “meet an end.” He made it sound like the transfer was like a birthday, in that it feels like a small step closer to death.” Dipper froze and tensed as Bill went on. “What did he mean? How can a god die?” Bill meant to ask tactfully, but it came out a little more brash than he intended. Dipper had pressed his lips together and begun staring intently at the floor.

“Well… we don’t. I mean, we do in a sense, but the line is so blurred that it might not even be there. It’s like a slow decent… or ascent. Depends on who you ask.” Dipper explained quietly. Bill rolled his eyes and crossed his arms.

“Well, I’m asking _you._ I’d like it if you actually explained instead of giving me something vague or tossing me to someone else.” Dipper shot Bill a glare, but relented after a tense moment.

“Gods inhabit bodies that match spiritual age, and then hop to the next when we outgrow or wear down our old ones. It’s safest to do so on one specific day. You knew all that, yes?” Dipper snipped. Bill slowly nodded.

“Like a punctual hermit crab.” Bill said interestedly. Dipper shot him a disapproving look.

“…I suppose… Eventually our spirit gets so mature and overwhelming, even the oldest bodies will reject it. It’s only happened to Death, Life, Heaven, and Hell so far.” Dipper looked down and picked at his nails. “Death was absorbed into the earth. It’s hard to describe, he doesn’t cause or instigate anything anymore, he just… is. He became what he represented. Life abstracted. She forgot everything she thought she was and had to forge a new self-image that wasn’t based on a body or interactions with people, but life itself. The best I can describe it, you become a symbol of your former self. You lose all your humanity.”

“And… heaven and hell?”

“They’re Huía. Theoretically their realms exist specifically for the spirit realm, and _theoretically_ they belong there and are in constant contact with human spirits...”

“And theoretically…!” Bill prodded cheerfully, making Dipper roll his eyes and let the tension drain a little more.

“Yes, in theory, we all go and join my great-grandparents once we abstract. It’s there we form our first permanent self-image, where we’re fully ourselves. There’s never a definite switch from one state to another. But all that comes crumbling down when you consider no-one’s certain of that yet. In theo- _the idea is_ that Death and Life never went to heaven or hell because they’d have no place there yet. It’s the product of both their efforts, and they can’t go until the world has ended and there’s nothing left to exert their efforts on. But that could apply to anyone.” Bill narrowed his eyes to hear a building tension under Dipper’s words.  It reminded Bill of when Pinetree described why he ran away, except with no clear crescendo in sight. “It could be that only Huía gods can go to heaven, and Huíam gods like my sister and I will be stuck down here until there’s nothing curious or feeling anymore. If we forget what we were like, what if we forget each other? Death and Life were _married,_ but they still melted away. I don’t want to find out what that’s like!” As the young god talked, Cipher slowly stood up from his nest on wobbly knees and set his book to the side, only to kneel in front of Dipper and place his face between Bill’s hands.

“Dipper, look at me.” Bill chided. They just scowled.

“No, I’m not doing this with you right now.”

“Yes we are, because I want to tell you something before you overthink this. You listening?”

“No, Bill.” Dipper stated firmly, pushing Cipher’s hands away with a glare. They both stood up, only for Dipper to tower over Bill. Cipher slowly lowered his hands to clench at his sides.

“Yes, Bill.” Cipher snarked. “You said you liked that I wouldn’t grovel, right?”

“I am _rapidly_ regretting that, yes.”

“Alright, so put me in an asylum then, _O Constellation, god of overthinking shit that doesn’t need to be_ , because here’s the cut and dry of it.” Bill snarled. Dipper twisted his mouth shut and stepped back. “I understand.” As Bill finished, Dipper rolled his eyes and looked away.

“You’re mortal, of course you think you do. But I just confirmed heaven is real. I don’t get that certainty!” Bill stomped in front of Dipper’s line of sight again.

“Dipper, fuck off, and by fuck off I mean _actually listen to me._ This isn’t a question.” Cipher demanded. After a moment of silent fuming, Dipper sat down in a chair heavily and gestured for Bill to continue. _“Thank you._ Anyway,

“I understand. I understand because from ages 10 and up, I didn’t believe in a god. For more than a decade I’ve lived with the very simple and impending doom that when I die, I am going to become an empty rotting corpse without a soul to leave behind. Gone. Into oblivion. The only thing that would be left of me was a few stories of a guy who did nothing but fool people into giving things I didn’t deserve from them. When I met you, I was pretty certain that deadline was about a decade off. People like me don’t live very long, Pinetree.”

Dipper looked away.

“This isn’t a contest-“

“Of course it isn’t Evergreen, but my point is that in the grand scheme of things, we’re both inevitably going to meet our end. The best we can do is enjoy the tiny ride we have left until we find out what happens, either I meet you then or later. I’m sure I’ll enjoy your company again whether you remember me or not.” Bill plopped down in the chair in front of Dipper. “I know this isn’t nearly on the same scale, but it’s like a favorite childhood toy. I don’t care about it because I can’t remember it, or which one it was.  When the moment comes, you’ll either be too abstract to care, or you’ll be in heaven with your sister.” Dipper was looking down at his clasped hands.

“It’s not that easy.” He gritted out. “I don’t want to forget my family.”

“You probably won’t.”

“’Probably.’” Dipper mocked.

“If you do, then it’ll be that much cooler meeting them again, won’t it?”

“Saying something like that doesn’t make it less terrifying.”

“I know.” Bill sighed, and propped his hand up in his palm. “But I hear you’re prone to overwhelming yourself, so it’s just something to think of when you feel yourself doing it.”

“That is _not_ healthy advice.” Dipper croaked. Bill cracked a toothy smirk.

“I know that too, but it’s the best I’ve got. Best case scenarios, Pinetree. Think best case scenarios.”

There was a long silence, and then a tiny,

“Ok.” Dipper turned to the table and rested his head on his arms. Bill’s smile softened and he placed a hand on the god’s shoulder.

“How are you feeling?”

“Not better, but it isn’t getting worse either. I guess I should thank you for that.” Dipper responded in a hollow tone.

“Not really. You’re right, I give terrible advice.” Bill chirped. Dipper chuckled dryly.

“… Still. Thank you. Not for the tips, but… thank you for trying to make me feel better. Thank you for winding me down before I could wind myself up. I’ve never done that in front of my family. My sister senses it, but it just never… came up.” Dipper turned his head to the side so he could stare at the hand Bill had rested on the table with a frown. “This never happened as a kid. Now though… Now I overthink until I’m chasing myself down a frantic hole. Until I lash out over little things.” Dipper’s frown deepened. “Until I get so overwhelmed that I jump into stranger’s heads.” He reached out a hand to cover Bill’s. Though Cipher was confused at the gesture, he didn’t pull away. “Thank you.”

“You’re welcome.” Bill laid his head down on the table to be eye-level with Dipper and smiled reassuringly. “Anytime.” The god looked into Cipher’s eyes for a worrying amount of time before finally piping up.

“Bill?” Dipper whispered. Bill answered, as tenderly as he was able,

“Yeah?”

“I think you should wake up now.”

Bill opened his eyes with a glare on his face and his fingers twisted up in the sheets so tight his creaking knuckles didn’t want to loosen.

“Next time I’m in there, Pinetree,” He grated into the pillow. “I’m going to look up how to damn a god. I _wasn’t done.”_

Of course, Bill got no answer.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Bill argues like a girl, things escalate, deescalate, and reescalate quickly, and I try my hand at drama when I really shouldn't.  
> Oh, and I think this is the first time they touch non-accidentally? And not to drag each other places? Chapter 8 is a good place for that to start, right?   
> I'd love to hear your thoughts on this chapter! Tell me what you liked, what you hated, if you think there're tags I should add, anything! It makes my day when I hear from you guys!


	9. Chapter 9

Stan didn’t think much of their plan outside out “it’s cute you’re trying.” In his words, “What a plan! It reminds me of something I’d try when I was your age!” Bill accepted the private practitioner’s traditional uniform anyway, a red long-sleeved shirt, featureless black pants, and undyed sleeveless shift. It made Bill feel like he was about to go elbow-deep in gore, especially when he realized that the clothes had been designed to be salvageable from such a situation.

So Bill stood in front of Mayor Ciang’s “house,” in nice clothes the elder god had jovially provided.  It felt more like an estate to bill, who had lived in tents and inns for many years now, however he firmly knocked on the door despite the intimidation.

Bill donned a bright smile the moment it opened. “Hello! This is the Ciang family, yes?” He asked cheerily. The maid on the other side eyed Bill suspiciously and narrowed the doorway a bit.

“The Ciang family called for no doctor. They have a family physician who is very much capable.” She stated firmly. Bill took a small step forward and raised a placating hand.

“Oh, I know, and I’m sure he is.” Bill soothed. “But I heard the twins were sick, and I just travelled from a hospital where a similar sickness swept through. I thought, while I was looking for a family to hire me, I could keep my hands busy and take a quick look.” The maid became even more suspicious, yet the door remained open. Bill smiled pleasantly and raised his bag of equipment. “There would be nothing owed for checking if it’s an illness I know of.” After a moment of hesitation from the maid, Bill took a step back.  “…Though I also understand this is pretty sudden.” The maid held out a hand to stop him.

“Let me ask the family. Wait here, I doubt it’ll take long.” Bill grinned and nodded.

“Absolutely.” He affirmed. The door was slammed in his face. Cipher checked his watch, thinking _I will wait five minutes to stand here like a dumbass before I go and ask Mabel for help._

Fortunately, Bill didn’t have to wait that long. It was about at the three minute mark when the door opened and smacked Bill on the shoulder from where he was leaning up against the doorframe.

“ _Ffffffff-“_ Bill turned around while rubbing his shoulder, expecting to find the maid but pleasantly surprised to find a well-dressed man he assumed was the mayor instead. “- _fff_ ine. That’s nice. It’s nice to meet you, sir.” Bill fumbled, holding out his hand to shake. They grasped it firmly enough for Bill to feel his bones shift a little and gave it a single, jarring shake.

“You’re the physician?” They intoned. Bill would have liked an apology for his future bruise, but this was nice too.

“Yes, absolutely. Jason Cipher, at your service.” Bill grinned and pulled back his hand. With a single nod, the mayor stepped back from the doorway and gestured to come in. Cipher entered without a moment’s hesitation.

“I’ll make this very clear,” The mayor said briskly as they walked down a dark hallway. “My children are very sick and our family physician has told us, in few words, that he’s useless to us in such a dire time. You will fill his purpose in this duty and this duty alone. If you cannot show us results within a week, I will have you removed from this house and from this family’s favor. If I suspect in the slightest that you plan to hold my children in kilaski, then I will have you dealt with accordingly.” Sir Ciang stopped in front of a door and looked Cipher dead in the eye. “Before you enter my daughter’s room, tell me you understand.” Bill nodded gravely.

“I understand.”

“Do you really? This is my family, Cipher. I do not toy with their safety.” Bill took a moment to seriously assess Mayor Ciang.

A tall, thin man with a thick salt-and-pepper beard, expensive robes, and a frown etched into his face, Ciang had serious silver eyes that drilled into Bill with an intensity that said Ciang didn’t buy a second of what Bill was spewing, but they were desperate enough to risk even this. Despite being nervous about what such a man would do to tie up the loose end Cipher could eventually pose, he still bowed his head and held a hand to his heart.

“Of course.” Cipher pledged. The mayor gave an unimpressed grunt, but opened the door anyway.

Liem looked up with surprise, a pretty girl with wavy white-blonde hair and her father’s silver eyes.

“This is your new doctor.” Her father informed. Surprise turned to confusion.

“What happened to Gija?” She asked with concern.

“He’s fine. He just hasn’t been able to help us, so we’re trying something different.” Her expression softened, though she still seemed wary as she gave Bill a once-over. Cipher tried to look as unassuming and friendly as he could, holding his bag with both hands in front of him and adopting stick-straight posture.

“It’s nice to meet you, ma’am.” He greeted with a bow. She nodded back.

“…Likewise.” She murmured. Cipher took an uncertain step towards her, then cast a look towards the mayor. Ciang raised an eyebrow.

“I will not leave my daughter alone with a random stranger. Begin.” Bill couldn’t blame him. She was beautiful, but besides being not to his “taste,” she still looked mostly wasted away and pale as death. Cipher gave a nervous little smile and knelt fully beside Liem, setting his bag down on the bed. He pulled out his notepad and started to write down symptoms he saw as he carried out a mock examination.

“How are you today, Liem?” He asked softly, taking her wrist for a pulse. She smirked with some level of distaste.

“Sick. That’s why you’re here, aren’t you?” Bill looked up at her with an apologetic smile.

“That was a stupid question, wasn’t it? I meant, are you better than usual?” He amended. She pressed her lips together.

“…Somewhat. I’m not coughing as much today-“ And with that, she proved herself wrong. Bill settled a hand on her shoulder as she hacked her lungs out.

“Let’s agree not jinx ourselves, alright?” Cipher asked kindly. She could only manage an annoyed nod. “Could you hike up the back of your shirt for me? I need to see the skin on your back.” She complied. Bill took notes on the angry red patterns he saw there, some looked like rashes, most looked like claw marks.

“What happened here?” He questioned, and tapped a patch of unhurt skin.

“…The rashes itch. I have fever dreams that there are ants making hills in my back.” She admitted faintly. Bill’s face scrunched up in sympathy.

“Say no more. Do you have any trouble sleeping because of them?”

“No, I’m drowsy most of the time. I try my hardest not to sleep… my brother fails, I succeed.” She continued to look at Bill out of the corner of her eye. “You’re not from here.” He barked out a laugh.

“What gave it away?” He joked.

“The accent, but I’m really bad at identifying them. Is that Rais?” She asked. Bill laughed again, going through his cursory examinations. Bill could honestly just look up these symptoms in Ford’s library, but he needed this to look as convincing as possible.

“I did live there for quite a while! But no. Little bit down, try again.”

“…Amaraska?”

“That’s a _lot_ down and a completely different language, sorry.”

“I’m horrible with geography, just tell me. Lios?” Bill hummed a negative.

“Tayfen, my lovely. That’s where my hometown is, at least.” Liem looked up at him with fever-shined eyes and a disdainful look upon a sweaty brow.

“One, I’m hardly lovely. Two, you’ll get nowhere with me and your compliments. I don’t swing that way.” She stated firmly, though the delirium made it lose some of its punch. Bill shrugged.

“Neither do I, it’s just a nickname. I won’t use it again if it makes you uncomfortable.” He soothed, and dug around through his bag. She looked at it and gulped.

“…Yeah… what’s that?” She asked nervously. Bill shrugged again.

“Nothing much. Swabs, disinfectant, those little knee-jerk hammers, bandages, syringes-“

“What’re those?”

“It’s a new-ish technology used by some doctors in Rais, they extract blood and give medicine without any mess or bad taste. It looks a lot scarier than it is… and I do need to collect a little blood.” He paused, but before she could linger on it too much, Bill shared a conspiratorial look with her. “Do you wanna see?” Liem opened her mouth to object, but then morbid curiosity overtook her.

“I guess.” She admitted. Bill grinned, pulled the cushioned box out, and flipped the lid open with a dramatic flair.

“Tada! Weird, aren’t they?” Her eyes narrowed and she raised a hand, as if tempted to touch them.

“…It’s like a machine birthed a mosquito.” She muttered. Bill chuckled.

“I think that’s what inspired their design, truth be told.” He said with a shrug. She looked up at him with a nervous little smile.

“I don’t really have to get stuck with one of those things, do I?” She asked waveringly. Bill held up a hand to soothe her.

“It’s no worse than a pinprick, I promise. It wouldn’t even wake your brother up.” He closed the box partially to look Liem in the eye as she considered it with a tight lip. Bill saw her trying to fight back the fear fever brought in order to bring forth the calm and rationality she needed to face a stranger doing things she didn’t understand with instruments she’d never seen. He had to admire her bravery. Despite being in pain, sleep deprived, and delirious, she’d gone head-to-head, word-to-word with Bill and left him thinking, _no wonder Mabel picked her._

“…Alright.” She eventually bit out. “Let’s do it.” Bill beamed at her resolution and went digging through his bag again.

“Could you please hold out your arm for me?”

Sir Ciang didn’t seem to approve of Bill and his antics, but Liem seemed to like him enough to let Cipher stick around and collect a second set of samples from her sleeping brother.

They entered a disturbingly quiet room. As Bill stepped closer, the sound of shallow breaths and unintelligible mutterings reached him from chapped, bloodless lips. Liem’s twin, Fern, looked a lot like his sister, just with shorter hair and somehow in even worse health.

“I shouldn’t have left.” Bill suppressed a flinch and the urge to turn towards Dipper’s voice, whispered and horrified though it was. “I thought this would pass, I shouldn’t have left.” Bill could only listen to Dipper spiral again as he knelt next to Fern and pulled out his arm.

 _If you hadn’t left, you wouldn’t have met a conman who could try and cure him._ Cipher thought in Dipper’s direction. That was how praying worked, right? He couldn’t tell, because Dipper just went silent for a while.

Bill withdrew the needle from Fern, only to realize the man (Bill also now realized Dipper’s spiritual age was probably more around 27-ish if Fern was anything to go by) had been blinking blearily at Bill for a while now.

“…Dipper?” He croaked, and Pinetree made an unidentifiable noise behind Bill. Cipher froze, but still managed to give Fern a kind smile and a pat on the arm.

“No, friend.  Not even close. My name’s Jason Cipher.” Fern squinted with a disappointed look.

“Oh. Sorry.” He muttered as his eyes drifted shut again. “Dreams’re bleeding into real life again, aren’t they?” Fern curled up on his side and drew the blanket over his head. “Sorry. I just keep expecting to see him.” Bill stood up and put the capped syringe back in its case.

“Boyfriend?” Bill joked casually.

“Something like that. Weirder.” A muffled laugh came from under the comforter. “Weird guy. Hard to describe… but my dreams about him are _divine.”_ A fever-hazy Fern snorted like he’d made a particularly bad, obscure pun. Cipher barely caught himself from laughing along.

“Yeah, I know that feeling. Think you can stand a medical exam, buddy?” Bill asked friendlily. There was a long silence from Fern, then a muffled,

“No.”

“Alright, next time then. I’ll see you soon, ok?” Fern gave a muffled grunt, Bill was briefly interrogated by Sir Ciang, and then promptly chased out of the house with a simple bid to come back in two days _at most._

Standing out on the porch of his dying patients, Bill let out a sigh of relief.

“Well,” Cipher said to himself. “I think that went well.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Bill plays doctor with the famed twins, I put out another chapter I'm decidedly not proud of with yet more walking and talking, and I also realize we're closer to the end of our story than I thought! Maybe 3 or 4 chapters?  
> (This would also be only the third story I've ever finished in the 8 years I've been writing. I'm very good at starting things, but finishing them... meh. Wish me luck!)  
> If you liked it, you're curious about something, you think there are any tags I should add (we're edging into territory where that's getting to be kind of important), or you want to give any criticisms, please comment! I love hearing from any and all of you!


	10. Chapter 10

Bill’s mother, while she still had some say in his education, never so much called Bill “smart” as she did “stubborn.” Cipher tended to take that as a compliment, thank heaven, and to this day carries that skill of “if I can’t be smart, I’ll _hammer_ the facts into my head until the memory holds.” So now, smarter than he thought he was and with everything in the balance to boot, Bill found himself pouring over medical journals, manuals, historical records, and diagrams, trying (and succeeding more than he expected) to decipher and translate the futuristic  information and techniques into modern day. It helped that he didn’t need to forge anything or learn to glassblow, a simple prayer to Stan left the equipment lying around somewhere Bill hadn’t thought to look in the cabin before.

Such prayers had churned out materials he’d never seen or felt before, like a type of glass that was half as heavy and twice as durable than usual. He gave himself a heart attack discovering it, he had dropped a tray on the floor and instead of shattering, it bounced onto the ground with a dull, anticlimactic clatter.

After another such incident, this time with actual, fragile glass, Bill developed a habit of tapping a nail on any new equipment he found to check how careful he should be with it.

Now it was long after his first dosage to the twins and well onto his second two-day deadline. Bill laid with his head in his arms, staring at some notes that smelled like old ink and dusty paper. He couldn’t actually read it. He’d put himself in this position with the intent to brainstorm, but the steady white noise of various things bubbling in the background, the comfortable temperature of a cooling spring day, and the comforting calmness of the outside had Cipher focusing more on trying to focus rather than what he was actually supposed to be focusing on. That, and trying desperately not to fall asleep, though it might be better to waste time taking a nap than to waste the same amount of time trying to combat drowsiness…

Bill nearly jumped out of his skin when he heard a tapping at the door. Nervous at any and all possibility of who it could be, he cracked the it open with kitchen knife in hand.

“Oh… Mabel? What is it?” Bill greeted, opening the door fully and lowing the knife. Her smile fell a little as she leaned to the side to glance around, first at the messy state of the cabin behind him, then at Bill’s rumpled clothing, then at the weapon itself.

“Hi Bill… why were you answering the door with a knife?” She asked as she gestured to it. Bill grunted.

“Old habits, I guess.” He muttered, looking down and raising the knife to absentmindedly run his thumb across the flat of the blade. “Your girlfriend’s psycho father set off some old instincts. He threatened to ‘deal with me’ at the mere suspicion of kilaski… Does that sound like him?” Bill turned to go put the knife back and waved for Mabel to come in.

“Yeah…” She groaned, stepping across the threshold. “It does.” She closed the door while looking around at the cluttered space. Instruments and various jars of fluids were everywhere, including a cage of mice that she winced in sympathy for.

“Is animal testing really necessary?” She asked, approaching them. Bill pulled out a kettle and a yellow ceramic pot of tea leaves.

“Sorry dear, my mortal self isn’t in the mood to incur Ciang’s wrath. I don’t want to go making your twin’s plague even worse, so I gotta fine tune things.” He called from the kitchen. Mabel grumbled under her breath, but still took a deep breath to ask,

“And how is that cure coming?”

“Quickly. Ford’s knowledge is pretty detailed, and it helps that Stan’s giving me everything I could ever need… except for the cure itself. Which is bullshit. Gods work in mysterious, counterproductively complicated ways, I guess.” Bill grumbled. That, at least, made Mabel giggle a little bit.

“He means well. If someone from this era and no training can’t make it, it’s not worth making.” She chimed in return.

“Of course he means well. And what do you mean, ‘not worth making?’ We’re saving lives, aren’t we?”

“Disrupting the natural human technological path would possibly take even more.” Mabel replied sadly, sticking her fingers through the bars for the white mice to sniff and nibble at them. “You need to be allowed time to acclimate to the new morals and conundrums one advancement presents before you can suddenly move to the next one.”

“Lotta big words, shooting star.” Bill sighed, and pulled a jug of milk out of the ice box.

“Shooting star?”

“I don’t know, you seem so bright and hopeful to me. I can’t very well call you “Pine Tree” too, can I?” He asked. She gave him an endearing smile.

“Aww… you have pet names for us?” She cooed. Bill sighed.

“Don’t read into that.” He joked with a groan.

The kettle started singing.

“So why exactly did you stop by?” Bill asked as he pulled it off the flame.

“I wanted to let you know Liem woke up.” Mabel withdrew her hand and looked over to see what Bill was doing. He happened to be grinning.

“That’s great! I actually made something useful, huh?” He chirped, but had to turn his gaze back down to pouring the tea so he didn’t pour boiling water all over the counter. Mabel laughed nervously.

“I guess you did. I just…” Bill came over with a mug in each hand and set one on top of the cage so he could sit cross-legged next to the twin. “-Thank you. Anyway, I wanted to give thanks… and apologize.” Mabel admitted. Bill paused blowing on the tea to give Mabel a suspicious look.

“Why?”

“You’re helping us with this. You’re working so hard to protect people you don’t even know! It doesn’t even look like you’re resting.” She gestured to his eyes. Bill weakly chuckled.

“Heh… I haven’t slept in 32 hours.” He admitted dryly, then took a long slurp of his drink. After a deep sigh, Bill continued, “But you shouldn’t give me too much credit. I have my own reasons for doing this.” Mabel just gave him a smirk.

“Sure you do, Bill. Going out of your way to help two complete strangers is completely selfish, I’m sure.” She snarked. Bill shrugged and turned his attention to the cage.

“Well, of course it is. This way I won’t be catching a plague… won’t be cut off from an infinite library… and I definitely like learning about actual medical procedures, I might get an apprenticeship for this. I could become an actual doctor or physician one day, all because I cured a couple of rich siblings. It has very little to do with their actual wellbeing.” Bill listed. Mabel chose to ignore that last part and looked up at Bill.

“Looking for a fresh start, huh?” He smirked and undid the latch on the cage to take out his smallest mouse.

“It either took several god’s divine intervention or a heavy-duty mental breakdown, but sure. I figure if there’s an opportunity, I should take it.” He passed the mouse to Mabel, who took it in cupped hands with mixed surprise and delight.

“Hey there little guy!” She cooed as it explored her fingers and wrists. She sent him a confused look, but he just shrugged and closed the cage door.

“He’s yours. Just make sure he doesn’t touch normal people for a while.” He explained calmly. She grinned.

“Aw! Thanks!” Mabel chirped. A small, genuine smile graced Bill.

“I didn’t see why not. Speaking of animals, how is Waddles doing?” He asked, taking his tea in hand again. Mabel’s face fell with a sigh as she stroked a fingertip  over her new pet’s fur.

“I’m worried he’ll think I abandoned him. I’ve only had the little guy for a century or so, what if he thinks that my next form is some random owner I passed him onto? Will he recognize my soul?” She fretted. Bill hummed and got comfortable on the hardwood floor, crossing his legs instead of having them folded underneath him.

“I’m sure if that’s the case, he’ll come to like this new owner who treats and loves him just as well, perhaps even better, than his last.” He assured, reaching out to pat Mabel’s shoulder. She flashed him a weak smile, so he thought it might be best to change the subject.

“What’ll you name _him_?” Bill diverted. It worked. Her face screwed up in thought before a mischievous glint caught her eye.

“How about Bill?” She pondered, sending him a playful expression.

“I’m so flattered! But no.” He grinned.

“Not even if the size matches?” She teased. He shook his head.

“ _Especially_ if the size matches, you terror.” He whacked her arm lightly, but she just giggled.

“Will, then.”

“Compromises are so hateful, considering how necessary they are.” He mock sighed. “Why?”

“For the Will to live!” She proclaimed, raising the poor, confused thing high above her head. Bill was about to reply, but then he fully processed the statement and his smile fell into a contemplative frown.

“He’s hardly more willing to live than any other creature, he’s just been given the chance to.” He replied quietly. At that, Mabel glanced down from the mouse and grew concerned at the look on Bill’s face. At that moment, she realized something.

“Bill… you said you haven’t slept in two days, right?” She asked quietly. He shook his head.

“Not two days, but just short of that. Two days is the deadline until their next treatments.” Bill informed, propping his cheek up on his fist with an elbow on his knee.

“And Dipper hasn’t appeared to you in that time?” She asked gently. His mouth tightened considerably, but he still nodded. “Why don’t you go see him? I’ll watch over you.” She assured, freeing a hand from Will to place on Bill’s shoulder. Again, he shook his head.

“The treatment may be done, but it’s still brewing. I need to oversee it and deliver it on time.” Bill gently pushed Mabel’s hand off his shoulder as he explained, but that just set her mouth into a firmer line.

“No. No excuses. You two left on a weird note, I can tell, or else you would have fallen asleep by now. You don’t want to show up at the mayor’s home dead on your feet, do you?” She insisted. Bill gave her an uncomfortable look and slid his gaze over to the side.

“We’re always on a weird note, we barely know each other.” Bill tried waving the line of questioning away. “I’ll be fine. I’ve fought through worse fatigue, I mean, I was just as tired when I met Pinetree. I seemed to make such a good impression that he wanted to _be_ me, didn’t he?” He joked. Mabel rolled her eyes with a groan and suddenly jumped to her feet, taking Bill with her by a strong grip on the arm.

“Oh, the _laws of nature itself_ are less annoying to shake than you!” She pushed Bill towards the bed and grabbed the tea he was trying desperately not to spill out of his hands. “Go to sleep, you heathen!” She cried with a final, solid shove. Bill stumbled onto the covers and tossed an annoyed look over his shoulder.

“It’s the middle of the day!” He hissed, but she wouldn’t be moved.

“Then I’ll close the curtains, now take off your shoes and sleep!” She snarled back. He shot an annoyed stinkeye her way, but still had to concede defeat.

“Fine.” The rest of his muttering couldn’t be heard as he took off his boots and the curtains were drawn, leaving the sound of humming instruments. “Turn off the gas for the burners.” Bill murmured into the pillow.

“I know, I won’t burn your cabin down.” Mabel answered, this time in a much more gentle tone. The hiss of gas died, and the sound of Mabel’s boots traveled over to Bill’s desk. A chair’s legs squeaked over the floor, dress clothes rustled, the wood creaked under her weight, and she let out a small sigh. “Goodnight.”

“Afternoon.”

“Good afternoon, then. Tell my brother I said hi.” He grunted out an affirmative and turned his face fully into the pillow.

It was annoying to find that for the first time in quite a while, Bill had a bit of trouble falling asleep.

 _Come on, Dipper. You promised._ Bill thought in a chiding tone. After a little more prodding and scolding like that, Bill snapped to sleep like he’d been knocked out.

 

 

_Fine. If you’re done avoiding me, then._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Throwback to the fact that canon Mabel's response to two people having a major life-altering argument is "hug it out!" and that Bill as a chaos demon only becomes huge when he wants to appear intimidating or make a big entrance, other than that he mostly chooses to be about as big as a frisbee or a pizza box. I'm not sure why most people's renditions of Human Bill include him being a 6ft+ blondie, but whatever.  
> So I know this chapter is disproportionately short and badly paced compared to how long the wait was for it, but the only thing I can offer in response is "work sucks, especially 66 hour work weeks"  
> If there's anything I can improve, there's any question you have about the story, or you just want to talk, leave a comment! I'd love to hear from you, and your words absolutely fuel mine!


	11. Chapter 11

Bill “woke up” in a void.

“Dipper?” He called out, disoriented and not even sure where his own mouth was.

“Hey.” The voice was disembodied and distorted. It took a moment for Bill to shake himself into coherence and answer.

“Where are we?” Cipher finally got a sense of his body and stood up on a nonexistent floor.

“It’s just your head. I didn’t want to go to the library just yet.”

“If I wanted to be there, I’d be there.” Bill chided. He experimented and pulled a chair out of the air to sit down, ankle propped up on a bouncing knee. “Talk to me.”

“You aren’t avoiding me anymore, huh?” Dipper asked dryly. Bill raised an eyebrow.

“A lot less than you are, anyway. You sister shoved me in here, apparently, for both our sakes.” Bill answered breezily. “I don’t have time to sulk, but I know you have all the time in the world. You didn’t let me sleep at first, so now I’m curious why.”

“Lucky me.” Dipper grumbled. Bill smirked and let another chair appear in front of him.

“Yes, lucky you. Come here.” Cipher commanded. It took a moment, but Dipper apparated in front of him with crossed arms nonetheless. Instantly, Bill momentarily forgot the reason he had been so hesitant to meet again and gave a little smile.

“Nice to see you, Pine tree.” Bill said sincerely. Dipper shifted and looked away.

“Likewise.” He muttered. Bill mirrored Dipper’s irritated stance and sighed through his nose.

“If you don’t want to go to the library, fine, I’ll believe that. But you wanted to talk, and I’m in no mood for your black-kettle avoidance right now.” Bill quipped. Dipper suddenly looked ready to snap at Bill, but then just… reined it in with a clenched jaw and a glower. “Look…” Bill began with another sigh. “Is there any other place we can go? A favorite place? Somewhere you actually want to be?” He tried, leaning forward with his palms offered up. Dipper glanced over again, his expression softening.

“Ok, Bill. I’ll bite.” Dipper relented. The air between them shifted with light, then spread out over the two of them quick enough that in the space of one thought, they sat at opposite sides of a worn dining table. Bill looked around and blanched. The place was small with amber adobe walls, peppers hanging from the kitchen walls, and open archways. A cozy place, not just a house, but worn enough to be a home. Some wooden toys were scattered around. Everything was bathed in the warm light of a setting sun.

“… This is the place I grew up.” Bill said warily. “Where’d you get this memory?” Dipper held up a placating hand.

“I don’t look through the memories themselves, but I can look at the places you’ve been. Imagine a maze of doors, each one leading to a memory, each one set in the place you most call home. In my experience, that’s what most minds look like…” Dipper tried to explain. Bill swallowed hard and looked Dipper dead in the eye.

“I have no home.” Bill said with crossed arms.

“Yes, that’s where I was leading up to. Your mind is strange. Walking through it… it’s so easy to get lost. I might find a memory in the trunk of a tree, some tent in the woods, the sky, even. I can’t…” Bill pressed his lips together and looked out the window. “I try to stay in your earlier memories, like here. These are hidden too, though. It’s strange that you don’t visit the one safe space in your head, but… it’s better than accidentally intruding on that hopeless decade you were describing to me.” Dipper finished lamely, knowing he had messed up taking the two of them here. Bill tightened in on himself, trying not to be too mad at Dipper. He couldn’t very well give him no place to be, he couldn’t trap the god in that black void they were in earlier. Besides, if there were any memories he wouldn’t mind Dipper accidentally seeing, it would be these ones.

When Dipper next looked over Bill had stood up with his fingers grazing the wood, then moved out of the dining room with his hand trailing across the wall. His palm hushed against the clay, eyes wide and almost desperate.

“Are you alright?” Dipper asked tentatively.

“Yeah. It’s just… It’s been a while. I wasn’t expecting to ever...” Bill bent down and picked up a toy, a horse with wheels instead of hooves. “It’s a bit jarring.” He whispered, spinning the wheel idly. Dipper looked away guiltily.

“Sorry.”

“No, it’s fine. I never said goodbye, so… now I get the chance.” Bill looked up at Dipper through his lashes and shrugged. Dipper opened his mouth to say something, then just closed it with a sigh instead. After a long silence filled only by breaths and the hum of a tiny wooden wheel, Bill spoke up again.

“You go first.”

“Huh?”

“We both have stuff to say with only a little time to say it. You go first.”

“We have as much time as we need.”

“Yeah, well, we had as much time as we needed the last time I tried to have a sincere conversation with you, but that didn’t stop you from waking me up then, either.” Bill snipped. Dipper squinted.

“Is _that_ why you’re angry?” He asked incredulously.

“That’s why I’m trying to be, but you’re so damn clueless about it, it’s a little hard to do!” Bill snapped. Dipper was taken aback, stuck between flattery and insult.

“Why would you want to be mad at someone?” He asked, once again in disbelief. Bill crossed his arms.

“So people don’t walk all over you. So you don’t forget what people were like in the past and you can assess them better in the future.” Cipher explained, suddenly exasperated. Dipper blinked.

“That’s none too wise, closing yourself off like that.” Dipper muttered. Bill tisked.

“Says curiosity, killer of cats. What makes you think you’re the authority on what’s wise?” Cipher turned around as Dipper gestured confusedly.

“Do you think yourself a cat, Bill?! I don’t mean you harm, I never have!”

“You tried to possess me!” Bill burst.

“I left when you asked!”

“You’re also a master of making your hosts feel like dirty socks. Leave one when he gets sick, not to your taste, and leave again when one turns out not to be quite as gullible as you’d like.” Bill sneered.

“Would you prefer it I had ignored you and stayed?!” Dipper protested, only for Bill to face the god again and get right in his face, gesturing desperately to get his point across.

“I would have liked it if you let me be in the first place! I would have liked it i-if you _talked_ to me when I outlived my usefulness, instead of leaving me to work like a machine left in the corner! You haven’t talked to me, you haven’t talked _about_ me, nothing! Silence!” Bill nearly wailed. Dipper looked away guiltily.

“That was never my intent.” He whispered.

“Then what was?” Cipher pressed. Dipper fumbled with that for a moment, then sighed and slumped.

“I don’t know.” He admitted. “I was being stupid and selfish, and maybe more than a little fueled by attempts at being rebellious. That’s no thing to pull just any old bystander into, especially someone like you.”

“Someone like me? What’s that supposed to mean-?”

“-But what I do know is that I don’t want to argue…” Dipper interrupted with a raised hand. “…And I don’t want to run away from you. Not anymore.”

Bill dropped his hands, the toy dangling limply at his side.

“Then why send me away? Why would you never show yourself?” He asked dejectedly.

“Same reason you want to stay mad at me. You’re power hungry, I barely know you, and now I know you’re capable of manipulating people to get what you want.” Dipper listed as Bill stared at him.

“… You don’t trust me anymore.” Cipher concluded. Dipper took a breath to defend himself, but Bill just held up a hand and cut him off. “No, no, it’s warranted. I should have expected this, to be honest.” Dipper stared at Bill, reeling at how resigned he seemed, then stepped back into his line of sight.

“It won’t happen again.” Dipper said resolutely. “I may not trust you, but I don’t see you any differently.” Bill smirked and crossed his arms.

“How exactly does that work, Pines?” He asked. Dipper stalled.

“Well, it- I just- _I don’t know,_ but-!” He placed his hands on Bill’s shoulders and looked him straight in the eye. “People deserve to be treated seriously when they take their second chances. You’ve had a rocky start and an even worse time of it, but if you want then I won’t judge you for that. To me, you can be a random healer I found on the road. I want you to be my… Well, you’re still my friend. That will never change.” Bill pressed his lips together. “I won’t forget what that means to you again.” The old god finished. Cipher tilted his head to the side.

“What does it mean to you?” He asked quietly. Dipper thought on that.

“Impermanence.” He answered reluctantly. “Getting close to people only means my time with them seems shorter.” Bill remembered their last heart-to-heart/premature awakening, and felt a laugh bubbling up unbidden. It was such a silly thing to do, a child’s logic. Things were meant to be done, candy to be eaten, people to be talked to. They’d be gone after you enjoyed them, but that was hardly the point. Bill learned that when he was 8, and yet here was this elder god who still hadn’t grasped the concept. Bill didn’t care that his laughter made Dipper look at him like he’d grown a second head, it was _funny_.

“Pinetree, that’s none too wise, closing yourself off like that.” Cipher chided. Dipper’s eyes widened, then narrowed as he whacked Bill’s arm.

“Hush, you can’t twist my words against me!” Dipper squawked. Cipher just cackled in response.

“Come on. Let’s go somewhere else.” Bill sighed, laughter dying into gentle mirth.

“You don’t want to stay…?” Dipper asked tentatively. After a pause, Bill turned around to face the house again in consideration. He walked over to a little wicker table, ran a hand over its reeds, and set the toy horse down upon it. The wheels haltingly moved with the grain until the horse’s head clacked against a glass vase full of dried roses. Bill gave a little shake of the head, turned around, and put a hand on Dipper’s arm.

“Let’s go.”

Bill stayed close to Dipper as they wandered through a landscape which looked like the abstract lights caused from pressing on your closed eyes. It was actually rather dizzying to look at head-on, so most of the time Bill kept his eyes trained on his feet or on Dipper’s face.

“Why didn’t you sleep?” Dipper asked.

“I’m making something that’s never been made with an unrealistic deadline, Constellation. Sacrifices have to be made here.” Bill joked. Dipper blushed and cleared his throat.

“Right. Sorry.” There was another comfortable silence as they walked and Dipper tried to decide where to go. Bill’s head was out of the question, so now there was only Dipper’s wide array of memories to go off of. Despite the indecision, the black melted away into dull icy blue and grey.

Frosty grass bent and crunched underfoot as they walked together up a frosted hill, coming to a crest so they could watch the fiery sunset. A pinetree stood tall and lonely next to the two, its needles covered in a thin layer of clear ice. Icicles were halted in their attempts to drip from the tips of its branches by the cold. The town below, tinted by blue and untouched by snow, fought back an untamed forest and seemed to be in the beginnings of blossoming into the city Bill knew. Instinctively Bill braced himself for the cold to start seeping in, but the shivering never came. His breaths puffed in front of him and he still wore the same sleeveless shirt and sandals late spring requires, but suddenly he understood Dipper’s strange state of stasis when they first met. Never hot, never cold, simply… comfortable.

“How long ago was this?” Bill asked, turning back to Dipper. He just shrugged.

“Maybe a century after Kikolo left Grunkle Ford, and a millennia or so before I met you.” Dipper answered absentmindedly. Bill’s eyes widened.

“So this place is the same place that…” Bill trailed off. Dipper smiled softly.

“We’ve always been here, I was born here, and here I’ll stay until the last follower, the last rat, the last weed falls. It’s holy ground. It’s probably why we’re bending so many rules out of shape to stop this plague.” Dipper whispered. Bill turned to look back on the town again, this time with an assessing glint to his eye. “Sometimes we have to go out of this place’s bounds to find the right hosts, but… this is home.” Bill sat down on the grass with Dipper to watch the sun fall and blanket the town in twilight. “I was a fool to try and escape it.”

“You fail all the tasks you don’t try.” Bill supplied with a shrug. “I thought the same about my own home town, that I’d never escape, yet here I am.” Dipper glanced over at the offhanded comment.

“About that… what have you been running from all those years?” Dipper prodded. “If you don’t mind me asking.” Bill chuckled, but it still took a while before he could bring himself to answer. Keeping in mind Dipper’s promise earlier not to judge him for his past, Cipher finally spoke.

“Remember what I said about rosewalling?”

“That’s your country’s version of kilaski, yes?”

“Right. A lord had my entire town held in it. It’s not an official term, but my parents always compared it to being tied up by rosevine, or walled up by the bushes. Before I was born, this foreign official came to us with experts on farming and stuff. He destroyed the roads leading out and, this sounds ridiculous, he forced us to be self-sufficient. Each year we had to give a huge chunk of our products and crops to him during a festival to "thank" him for the skills he’d taught us, he'd sell them, and said that he didn't have to share profits of things he owned. There was no way to leave this middle-of-the-desert town without a ton supplies and… it was just supplies my family didn’t have. I got sick of it as a kid and decided I’d rather die in a desert than die working my ass off for some stranger. So I snuck out one night, and…” Bill pressed his lips together, glancing over at Dipper. “I wasn’t caught. But that lord didn’t like the idea of someone catching wind of this and coming over to overthrow him. For years I wasn’t able to settle anywhere, I was too scared of being brought back. No jobs, no homes, just… Pickpocketing and conning. By the time they stopped looking for me, I was on the run for entirely different reasons. Eventually I got so much of a reputation, I decided to leave the country altogether. Which brings us here.” Bill gestured to the city below, now swathed in shadow. Another glance towards Dipper drew an annoyed groan out of Bill upon seeing the god’s melancholy expression.

“I know you said you wouldn’t judge me, but it would be nice if you didn’t pity me either, Pinetree.” Bill sighed. Dipper shook his head and looked away.

“I won’t. It’s just… the story was exactly what I was expecting, but at the same time… not. So often I want to know everything about a person, but when I actually investigate, it turns out a lot worse than I thought.” Pines smiled dryly. “I don’t think I’ll ever learn. It’s in my nature, after all.”

Bill placed a comforting hand on Dipper’s shoulder.

“If you feel that bad about it, you can overshare too to balance things out?” Bill joked. “I promise, I’ve seen everything.” Dipper laughed and reached up to place a hand over Bill’s. When they slid off his shoulder to the ground, their fingers remained tangled together.

“I guess… The first conman I ever came into personal contact with was not you.” Dipper began, laying down on the hill to stare at the emerging stars. Bill joined him on the ground, shoulder-to-shoulder. “It was almost time to switch bodies into that early-teens-ish area of life. We’d picked out our hosts, but some… self-proclaimed prophet took a shining to Mabel after she contacted him on accident. I think his name was Giddy or Goddon, I try to forget about the tiny creep. He bullied his way into priesthood, despite his age, tracked down the twin Mabel had marked, and exiled her.” Bill snickered when he saw Dipper raise a free hand to pinch the bridge of his nose. “Oh, that was even more of mess than this has been.”

“What happened to the Giddy kid?” Bill asked playfully, but was met with a solemn sigh. Dipper gave Bill’s hand a squeeze, but refused to look him in the eye.

“We marked him as damned… well, I did.” He paused again. “When you mark a host, your emblem appears somewhere on their body. Usually over the heart.” Dipper tapped on his own chest. “It’s a little hard to see at first, you should check if yours is still there. But when you mark someone as damned… It’s a little triangle on the forehead. It appears during the day, usually while you’re talking to someone, and it means you aren’t allowed to speak with, about, or even react to that person anymore. It’s not violent. It’s to sentence someone to become a ghost.” Bill had gone silent as the grave while Dipper explained what he did to this child. “I’ve only damned three people. I’ve regretted every one. It just… it destroys them. They turn to any company they can, the bad and the ugly and the horrific, just to feel like a person again.”

“Aren’t there worse crimes than exiling innocent people?” Bill muttered. Dipper nodded.

“Yes. But our fold offers great leniency. It is to offer humanity a chance to live as nature lives, without judgement, without discrimination against the superficial. The divine look away from murder and thievery for humanity to deal with, but to steal or hurt the property of the gods, to exile a host--our friends, lovers, and siblings--and flood our minds with requests to love the one who did it… that we do not forgive.” Dipper spat bitterly. Bill scrutinized the stars as he processed what he just heard, then propped himself up on his elbow and gave Dipper’s hand a squeeze. The god turned to look at Bill with surprise.

“Would you ever damn me if I failed?” Bill asked curiously. Dipper’s eyes widened and he sat up as well.

“What?! No!” He protested, hand reaching forward to grip the slope of Bill’s neck into his shoulder. “I’d never do that to you. Never, I couldn’t. I wouldn’t.” Dipper stated earnestly. Supremely solemn.

Bill was taken aback by the sudden, vehement answer. No-one had been that defensive of him in years… perhaps never. With a deep breath, Bill closed his eyes, leaned forward, and gently pressed his forehead to Dipper’s. Cipher felt the god flinch and lean into the touch.

“I know you don’t trust me.” Bill started softly. “But thank you for that, at least.” He opened his eyes to find Dipper giving him a half-lidded gaze, so close their lashes were an inch away from being tangled together.

“I trust you a little more than I did an hour ago.” Dipper murmured. The hand moved up to cradle the side of his neck, and Bill closed his eyes in anticipation of what was next. The press of skin against his forehead disappeared, and was replaced by a soft kiss. Then one on each of his cheekbones, the tip of his nose, and each corner of his mouth, but never on his lips themselves. A thumb traced over the ridge of his eye.

“Don’t look yet, Cipher.” Pines whispered. “Open them when you want to wake.” Bill hummed.

“Never.” He mumbled. Dipper laughed.

“You have to wake up sometime.” He chided.

“Promise me you’ll appear while I’m awake too?”

“On occasion, yes.”

“Then soon. Not now.” Eyes still closed, Bill reached forward and pushed Dipper back down so he could use Dipper’s chest as a pillow.

“That’s fine.” The god went without resistance, the hand on Bill’s neck moving up to lace through his hair, their clasped hands moving up to Dipper’s belly.

It felt so nice. Sleeping with a random man or woman had never made him feel this warm, not when he had neither time nor room for affection before. Now, for the first time, he felt safe. He could afford to think about the future. He was going to be a doctor, or a nurse, he was going to see Dipper again. He had a chance… this whole plan to use the library for what he’d been thinking might not even be necessary. He was going to heaven, he could have an honest job.

He could be happy.

Maybe.

Light touched Bill’s eyelids, turning his vision red. Fluttering them open, Bill once again found his hand twisted into the covers tight enough it ached to unfurl his fist.

_Maybe._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The boys communicate for once and I give you a chapter that's longer than 2,000 words!  
> I really hope you enjoyed! I'm super sorry for the long wait, I had a bunch of 11-hour shifts and 6 day work weeks, I quit my job soon after, settled into college, and things are finally starting to calm down. Stick around, the climax is only 2 or 3 updates away.  
> If there are any tags I should add, you liked something, or you just want to say hi, drop a comment! I love hearing from you! Have a great day!


	12. Chapter 12

Bill stood in front of the mirror, hands stalling on the buttons of his shirt. “I can’t be such a coward that I’m too scared to look at my own skin?” He muttered. With a burst of resolve from his own challenge, he popped all the buttons open and exposed his chest to the mirror. The reveal of clear skin over his heart came with disappointment and relief, though he still had to check his back. Dropping the shirt to hang from his elbows, Bill turned around and strained to look over his shoulder without twisting his back out of view.

Well, there it was. Bill, like many people, was not inherently acquainted with the visage of his own back, but he still knew that he didn’t have a flesh-colored tattoo right on his left shoulder blade. Maybe not a tattoo, but a dark mole in the exceptionally specific shape of what looked like a connect-the-dots constellation he didn’t recognize, framed by a sharp, thin equilateral triangle. Or maybe it was henna? Or maybe none of the above, because if a god wants to brand you as their property, they probably won’t use any earthly method he would know of. “At least it’s not a literal brand.” Bill grumbled, tossing the shirt away completely so he could pop into the bath.

“Why would it be?” Dipper asked. Bill released an undignified scream and tripped over himself in the process of twisting around to face Dipper, who had pressed himself against the wall with wide eyes at the overreaction.

 _“What are you doing in here?”_ Bill hissed. Dipper raised placating hands.

“You asked for me to appear more often. Here I am.” Dipper replied with a shrug, his eyes giving a cursory little check over Bill’s half-dressed figure. Bill frowned.

“Not when I’m taking a bath.” Bill stated, arms crossed. Dipper quirked up a brow.

“Why not?”

“Because I’m getting naked!” He gestured wildly to himself. Dipper closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and let an admonishment tumble out on the exhale.

“Bill Cipher, the emotions you give me are as old as my namesake stars, and yet no one living being has ever made me more exasperated and amused than you have.” He opened his eyes to give Bill a long, playful look. “How much modesty, honestly, do you think I’m prone to feel the need for? I’m an ancient being who’s very acquainted with human bodies.” Dipper finished with a little smirk. Bill raised a brow, blushing despite himself.

“Tread carefully, Pinetree. And it’s not your modesty that matters here, it’s mine.”

“I can get naked too, if you like? As in, if it makes you feel better?” Dipper offered brightly, already making the motions to take off his shirt. Bill groaned and covered his eyes with a hand.

“You’re going to kill me one day, Pines, I swear…” He muttered. “Just wait outside for a bit, will you?”

“As you wish, Bill.” Dipper chuckled and completely disappeared, leading Bill to believe he was just fucking with him this entire time.

“I’m starting to regret asking you to show up.” Bill sighed and turned the knobs for the tub.

_No you aren’t._

Bill rolled his eyes, but couldn’t offer an objection.

\--

“I’m not sure why you were so flustered. We’re both men, aren’t we?” Dipper asked as soon as Bill came out of the bathroom with a towel wrapped around his waist, almost as if he had actually been waiting outside.

“It’s different.” Bill answered breezily, not pausing on his way to the drawers. Dipper stayed in the hallway for the illusion of privacy.

“Why, because you like me?” Dipper called out with a grin. Bill laughed under his breath as he tugged on his uniform.

“No, because _you_ like _me._ I give no leeway to perverts.”

“I’m not a pervert, you sack of flies.”

“Never heard that one before.” Bill muttered, tying his apron. Dipper came in soon after.

“I have better ones.” He offered. Bill cast a grin his way as he gathered up his equipment.

“You’ll have to tell me sometime, yeah?” He tugged his bedsheets into something resembling neat. Dipper just smirked.

“Are you planning on insulting your future patients, Bill?”

“Well, I’m bound to have some unruly customers. It’s bound to help if I know some local exchanges, yeah?”

“Ah, you’re so prepared, aren’t you?”

“Of course I am.” Bill answered. Dipper shook his head with a chiding little smile and walked over to the kitchen so he could sit on the counter. Bill opened his mouth in order to scold Dipper, but then suddenly laughed. Dipper tilted his head to the side.

“What is it?” He asked, leaning forward. Bill just shrugged.

“I was about to tell you to get your ass off of where I prepared my food, but then I remembered it doesn’t actually exist…” Bill rushed to elaborate after receiving Dipper’s very exasperated look. “Well, of course you exist, I couldn’t have known about the twins or the treatments without your help, good enough proof by me. But _here. Physically._ You know.” Bill gestured vaguely at the space Dipper occupied. Dipper’s unimpressed frown turned into an equally unimpressed smirk.

“As long as it’s just the two of us, I don’t see how that matters.” Dipper playfully thwacked Bill’s arm. “You felt that, right?”

“Yeah. You’re still unnaturally warm and everything.”

“Well, as long as I fit that criteria of existence, it won’t hurt to count me as real.” Dipper stated with a shrug. Bill, with a skeptical little twist to his mouth, wanted to remark that it wouldn’t hurt unless Dipper actually (hypothetically) hurt him, but instead replied,

“If a tree falls in the forest and all that, right?”

“Huh? Oh, I take it I’m the tree in this situation?” Dipper tilted his head to the side. Bill hummed.

“How about, ‘if you hear a tree fall in the forest and no-one’s around to cut it down or see it fall, does it matter how it happened?’”

“Ah, so I’m the sound.”

“Now you’ve got it.”

“I don’t get your logic.” Dipper hopped off the counter and followed Bill out of the cabin.

“You’re the fool who offered it.”

“I don’t get your _interpretation._ Is my body the tree to you? My person? Your own mind? How did you equate my criteria of existence to the conundrum of the tree falling? Who’s the cause?”

“It was a mistake, letting a god of thinking into my head.” Bill sighed. “So many questions.” Dipper just grinned at that.

“Not too many, I hope?” He asked playfully. Bill smiled back.

“Never.”

“Good. It was a good idea, jumping into your head. I’m glad I did.”

“You’re goddamn right you are.” Bill declared. Dipper laughed. Cipher blushed at the unfamiliar sound of someone enjoying his person, rather than his presence or performance. When he next glanced over at Dipper walking next to him, the god had a look on his face like he knew _exactly_ what Bill was thinking.

_I’m glad I have you in my life, too._

“We should stop talking aloud.” Dipper eventually lamented, after walking a while. “We don’t want anyone watching see you talking to yourself, especially if you name the twin’s suitors out of no-where. The Ciang family has their ear out for anything that might give them reason to distrust you.” Bill grimaced.

“Why would someone _want_ a reason to distrust their doctor? I'm saving their lives. I'm a damn miracle. Who spies on miracles for their dirty laundry?” Bill placed a hand on his chest in fake indignance.

"Just use your thoughts, please, they'll suffice." Dipper chided. "In any case, you'd be surprised how suspicious of helping hands you become, when you're as rich and influential an them. Kilaski, remember? And besides, it's not like you're a fully-fledged doctor. You have close to none of the experience or know-how you'd need in any other situation than this."

"True enough. And watch your tongue, it won't be long until I push this world into the golden age of medicine whether it wants that or not." Bill muttered. Dipper smiled curiously at him.

"Thoughts, please." _Right, right, sorry._ Dipper chuckled. "Ford won't let you."

_Screw Ford, who ever heard of a god actively stopping the path to wellness when they weren't mad or jealous? Anyway... I should count myself lucky I was never that powerful. An unsuspecting helping hand is the most useful kind. Can't imagine squinting at that like Mayor Ciang._

“Who knows, but he does.” Dipper sighed. Bill rolled his eyes.

 

With that, they fell into an amicable silence on the way to the house. Upon arrival they were ushered in, and instead of waiting for the maid to go and get Mayor Ciang, Bill walked straight to the first twin’s room with confidence. Dipper faded out into Bill’s periphery.

“Hello, Jason.” Liem sighed, rolling over and waking up when Bill loudly paraded into her room. She’d long since grown comfortable enough with him that he could pull this.

“Hello, Liem. How’s your back?”

“Fine. It’s healing. How’s your voice?”

“Still grating and incapable of whispers, thank you for asking.” He shot back, chipper as ever, and set himself down on the edge of the bed. He set his toolbox down on his lap and pulled out a tonic and a salve, the former in a green glass bottle, and the latter in a repurposed glass petri dish with a piece of twine tied around it. “This is for your back.” He declared, and plopped the dish into her lap. “Put it on in the morning and before bed. Or when it irritates you, I'm not the one with plague.” She took it into her hands and giggled uncertainly. “...And the other is for your illness. You may feel better now, but I really prefer if you saw this through to the end. I want to get rid of this completely, every inch.” She sobered up a bit and nodded earnestly.

“Absolutely. How much?”

“Use the cap, it has a hollow. Fill it to the line.” She unscrewed it, sniffed the contents, and gagged.

“How can something smell sweet, bitter, and horrible in equal measure?”

“Beats me, there's no sugar in it.” Bill answered nonchalantly. She shuttered.

They joked around some more, but Liem eventually shoed him off to go tend to her brother. With the shadow of Dipper in the corner of his eye, he didn’t really want to, but he admitted defeat and agreed.

 

Fern smiled when he saw Bill enter. “Hey there, Jason.” He croaked weakly. Bill flashed a smile back.

“Hi buddy. You don't sound too good.”

“I just woke up, don't mind me.” Fern said with a dismissive wave of his hand. Bill stepped forward and sat down next to him nervously. He busied himself with digging through his bag, as if hiding behind the supplies inside.

“This is for your illness, this is for your skin.” He informed, placing the both items on the nightstand. Fern squinted at Bill, even as his physician avoided eye contact.

“What’s wrong, Jason? Why the hurry?”

“I’m not in a hurry, I’m doing my job.” Cipher replied, while hurrying to get this out of the way.

“Come on, it can’t be nothing. You’re being weird with me, what happened?” Fern chided. Bill thought back to the kisses and cuddling on the hill and felt his cheeks heat up. “You’re blushing. Is it a guy?” It infuriated him enough that he didn’t even question why Fern immediately knew. He wished there was such a thing as picking and choosing which emotions he broadcasted to the world, rather than his own face betraying him.

“…Yes.”

“Ok, that explains why you’re blushing, but not specifically around me… Is it a guy I know? ” Fern prodded. Bill narrowed his eyes at the targeted question. Fern was not that good at lying or feigning ignorance, it seemed.

“In a sense, yeah.”

“I hate guessing games, just spit it out Jason.” Fern groaned, and flopped onto his back. “You don’t like _me_ , do you?”

“What? No!” Bill sputtered. Fern cackled.

“Wow, that was enthusiastic.” Fern teased. Bill sagged and offered a weary smile.

“Your father was wary enough with me around your sister at first, I don’t want a repeat if he suspects the same between me and you.” Bill explained, and lowered his bag of tools. “How’s your sleep? Are the nightmares gone?” He tried to change the subject. Fern shrugged and rolled over onto his stomach.

“For the most part. I still dream about him though, so that sucks…”

“Dipper?”

“Yeah. Good guess, I have nightmares about a lot of loved ones.”

“You don’t word dreams about your family vaguely, just him.” Bill sighed. Fern looked unconvinced, but of what, Bill wasn’t sure.

“Mabel came to visit the other day.” Fern offered conversationally. Bill smiled.

“Who is she again?” He asked innocently.

“Liem’s girlfriend. You know.” Fern looked up at Bill, who was still avoiding eye contact. “Liem and I aren’t idiots, you know. We know Mabel talks to you too.” Bill pressed his lips together and took a deep breath in, then stood up to go.

“Then you know how I got the cures. We shouldn’t talk about this, if your father knew I was in contact with her too…”

“It’s ok, Jason.” Fern reached up to grab the hem of his apron and tug him back. His voice had an edge to it, even if he was trying to sound reassuring. “I just want to know why you’re lying. I never said anything about Mabel giving you the cures, just that since you know us, I thought you’d know her, too.” Bill stopped where he stood and looked at Fern out of the corner of his eye.

“Alright. If you want to know something, ask.” Bill offered tersely.

“You know about Dipper, don't you?” Fern said. Quiet, almost sad. Cipher hesitated.

“Yes.”

“Is he okay?”

“Considering how he fled, unfortunately he's just fine.” A moment of silence.

“Then why?”

“According to him, he got overwhelmed. Mabel chose you two more than he did, and he went rebellious.” Bill refused to insult the future host of a mind god with yet more lies. Fern’s eyes misted slightly, so he hid his face in the pillow.

“But he didn't leave you to die. He had no clue about the plague, and he's bending every rule in the book to save your life and come back to you. He… he cares… So, so much about you.” Bill paused to give Fern a chance to object or add anything, but just listened to the silence. “I have a whole lot of forbidden knowledge just for you now.” Another long pause, but Bill sensed that this one was Fern trying to think of how to reply to that.

“He brought me to the library too. It scared me. Like the ocean.”

“Too big?”

“Too big, too much… He scares me a little too.”

“He's not that scary.” Bill muttered, sitting back down. “He wants a friend on even footing, that's why he shows you that big old library. He's good at asking, not explaining, and that's his way of dodging it.” Fern hummed under his breath.

“How long have you had his mark?” Fern asked into the pillow. Bill floundered for a lie at first, but then grimaced and remembered his resolve.

“No clue. He popped into my head a little less than a month ago, probably then. If you cannot tell from my wonderful accent, I had no clue who he was.” Fern giggled. “There was a lot of talking to myself, now that I think about it.”

“He's not in his body anymore?”

“No. I hallucinate your boyfriend.”

“Shame. He's a nice kisser.” Fern remarked casually. Bill cleared his throat.

“You aren't jealous?”

“I mean… I don’t feel great about it, but I also know he's been with tons of other guys. I got used to the idea that he met me in his old boyfriend’s body a while ago, anyway.” Fern snarked. Bill chuckled even while he shuddered.

“That's fair.”

“You aren't jealous either?”

“Fern, I turned him down and told him to go back to you. What kind of clusterfuck tug-of-war hypocrisy would I be pulling if I ended up jealous of you _now_?” Bill joked, no matter what he felt. He didn’t think it was jealousy, anyway.

“That's true.” Fern grunted as he pushed himself up right. They had a moment to confirm things, reaffirm dosages, and say goodbye, but just as Bill had picked up his things, Fern spoke up again.

“Jason.” Bill paused to let him speak. Fern was giving him a serious look from his bed. “Be careful, okay?” Bill smirked and shrugged.

“I'll watch my step.” Fern looked dissatisfied, but couldn’t say anything more before Bill excused himself and slipped out the door.

In the hallway with his back turned to Bill was Mayor Ciang, back straight, hands clasped behind his back. The somber man turned to face Cipher upon hearing the door shut.

“There you are.” He intoned. Bill glanced to his exit, which Ciang blocked, and bowed his head briefly.

“Here I am, sir. Curing your kids.”

“You talk with them more than you treat them.” He replied, brow raised. “What do you say?”

Bill furrowed his brows and tilted his head to the side.

“Excuse me, sir?”

“What do you talk about with my children that’s so important?” Ciang asked, slowly, as if talking to a dunce.

“Just… friendly conversation, sir.” Bill replied with a smile. “You never specified that I couldn’t.”

“You’re allowed to speak to my children. I may not be the best or most honest man, but I do not isolate or imprison my kids.” Ciang corrected. “What you are not allowed to do is go into their rooms without waiting for my supervision. I do not know you. My children were just inches from death not that long ago.” Bill pressed his lips together and looked away.

“I don’t have any devious evil plan, you know. I’m just containing a plague.”

“How many more appointments do you need to do that, realistically?”

“One. Just to see how well it takes, then I’m out of your hair.”

Ciang motioned for Bill to follow him, which turned out to be the father escorting Cipher to the door.

“You mentioned you were a traveler. Do you celebrate Greensmor?”

“Celebrate what now?”

“I suppose that answers my question. It’s in a week. I’d recommend you go and visit family for the holiday.” Ciang suggested. He stopped in the waiting area and picked up a thick envelope, sealed with red wax. “These are papers of recommendation, they should get you employment in several hospitals and families. I hope you’ll find this proper payment for your services to my family… I am grateful to you, no matter how I may treat you.” Bill took the papers as they were handed to him and ran his fingertips over the paper. It was expensive.

“I don’t have any family to visit. Any that are still alive are a couple countries away.”

“Well then, visit friends. Or you could celebrate the holiday late. Nonetheless, I must insist that you leave my town.” Ciang informed, tone never changing. Bill’s eyes snapped up.

“What? Why?”

“I will allow you to be called back if such events occur like this plague reemerging, however I cannot allow a life debt to hang over both Fern’s and Liem’s heads. If you are not gone by Greensmor, then I will consider you to be a threat to my family. I apologize, but a handful of brief visits is not enough to judge a man’s character. I cannot trust you.” Ciang explained, like it was the simplest thing in the world. Cipher stared up at Ciang, trying to decide how serious this man was.

“Is that a threat, sir?”

“Only if you make it one, Cipher.” Ciang opened the door for Bill and gestured outside. “Safe travels.”

After one more incredulous look, Bill shook his head and walked out the door. Dipper was waiting just outside with his hands in his pockets, almost as if he had been waiting for him outside. The door slammed shut behind Cipher, making him flinch.

Dipper smiled softly. “Well!” He chirped. “That went smoothly!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> HI GUYS I'M NOT DEAD INNIT GREAT  
> Anyway, here's a chapter that I hate no matter which angle I look at it. I'm sorry, but I had to get it out there or else I'd never be satisfied with anything.  
> I really love reading your comments, they make me smile and they really make writing this fun. I hope you enjoyed!


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